Family
by Lady Lanera
Summary: Continuing after Child of Destiny, the long-awaited wedding of Snape and Sinistra. Unfortunately, it doesn't go according to plan with a dark secret on the Sinistra side, a mother-in-law who hates her daughter-in-law, and an interesting potion.
1. Nightly Rituals

**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything related to Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does.

**A/N: **This story is the third in the Elder Series and a sequel to _Child of Destiny._

**Nightly Rituals**

Aurora Sinistra, a witch in her mid-thirties, brushed her long dark curly hair silently as she readied herself for bed. She had to admit that sleep wasn't that appealing to her tonight or any night for that matter. After the few months she had, she knew she needed it, though. She glanced towards her bed and sighed heavily. The man she loved unconditionally had locked himself in his office, brewing something feverishly, so she knew she'd be alone tonight. She honestly did love him unconditionally, but she wished he wasn't so into his potions. It sometimes felt as if he loved his potions more than her.

Gently setting her brush back down on the edge of the table, Aurora stood up and glanced at her reflection in the mirror. Her complexion was as pale as it had always been. Her dark brown eyes were a shade lighter, which was probably because of her daughter. She thanked Merlin profusely when she didn't find any wrinkles etched into her lovely face yet. Her hair was as dark as ever without a speck of silver. She sighed contently. She still looked rather young yet.

Closing her eyes, Aurora hung her head and sighed. They had been so lucky. It was only this morning that they nearly lost everything. The entire saga started a few months back with the Shadow attack that nearly cost her one chance at true happiness. The Shadow, whatever it had been, had preyed on Death Eaters all summer long. Anytime it met one, someone always found the body the next day.

On June 30, the Shadow ran into Severus Snape, the man Aurora loved unconditionally. Snape himself was a former Death Eater, but loyally served Albus Dumbledore, leader of the Order of the Phoenix, for fourteen years. The Shadow nearly killed him, though, stopping for some reason or another. Leaving him without his magic, Snape slowly recovered from his injuries that were both physical and psychological in nature. During this slow recovery, he allowed himself to admit finally his true feelings to Aurora, which soon after they started courting.

In September, their relationship started to hit the rocks as secrets started to unravel. One such example was that Snape learned of the scars on Aurora's back. Enraged that someone had hurt her, he stormed off to Malfoy Manor intent on killing Lucius Malfoy. However, soon after arriving, Narcissa Malfoy killed her husband and herself in efforts to protect their son. Unfortunately, Bellatrix, sister to Narcissa, watched her sister die and immediately assumed Snape had killed her. She quickly caught him off-guard and brought him before the Dark Lord where Snape was tortured for three months.

During this time, Aurora discovered she was pregnant. However, the circumstances surrounding her child's conception was rather strange since she had not actually been with anyone. In addition, she had to deal with one Dolores "Pain in the arse" Umbridge, who was the Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic. Umbridge had been convinced that Aurora was hiding Snape somewhere in the castle, so Aurora had to hide herself away practically. It all came to blows, though, the day Snape returned.

Snape had suffered an extreme mental breakdown while being held captive by the Dark Lord. It had taken his mother, who Lady Atal (an Elder who interfered numerous times with Snape and Sinistra, including Aurora's mysterious pregnancy) recently released back to the Wizarding World, to heal his mind. While all that went on in the background, a sinister plot unraveled that involved a student at Hogwarts destroying the castle from the inside. Jezlyn Sinistra, Aurora's little sister, easily foiled the plot when she mistakenly used magic while brewing. In an act of rage, Elder Malante, an Elder who worked for the past few months with the Dark Lord, murdered the Dark Lord because of the failure.

Hours later, Aurora gave birth to a beautiful healthy girl as per the instructions that Eileen Prince, Severus's mother, received from Lady Atal. With the child's birth, the Elders believed that Aurora's daughter prevented Elder Malante from doing any harm. However, a week later, Elder Malante managed to kidnap the child. Somehow, luck had been on their side and their daughter returned to them unharmed. In real time, that was just this morning, though, but to Aurora it felt like a lifetime ago.

Opening her eyes again, Aurora glanced at her reflection. Yes, it was positively amazing she didn't have a speck of silver yet after the last few months she had. She glanced away and towards the tempting bed. She sighed softly before drumming her finger against the side of her leg. The bed may have looked inviting, but she wasn't ready to sleep yet. She slowly walked out of the bedroom and across the hall towards her daughter's room. The sight she saw made her smile warmly. With his back resting against the headboard, Severus sat on top of the bed. Their daughter was sleeping peacefully with her head on the pillow that lay across his lap. His eyes quickly caught Aurora's as she stared at him.

Aurora then watched him carefully remove himself from their daughter's clutches. She was amazed at how gentle and silent he was. Their daughter didn't even seem to notice that her father had moved. As soon as he reached Aurora, he turned around and leaned against the wall. The two parents silently watched their daughter sleep for a few moments. It was a sight to see.

"We should leave," Severus quietly whispered.

"Yes, we should," replied Aurora with a soft smile. "But I don't want to."

"She needs her rest, Aurora, as do we."

"Can't we take her with us? There's room." Aurora instantly heard his soft chuckles.

"If you can move her without waking her, then by all means, Aurora," he responded.

"Mokai," Aurora whispered. Within seconds, the small house elf appeared in the room. "Please move Angel over to our bed." The small house elf's large violet eyes widened before he glanced towards Severus. When he received the brief nod, Mokai quietly sighed and snapped his fingers. The young sleeping child instantly disappeared from the bed. "Thank you." The house elf said nothing before he himself popped away. It took the parents exactly two seconds to walk back to their bedroom. Sure enough, the sleeping child was in the middle of the large black bed.

"Just for one night, Aurora," Severus quietly said as he walked towards his side of the bed. "We cannot smother our child because of what could happen, especially since we both know that she is safe." Both parents then quietly got into bed.

Aurora quickly slid an arm under Angel's head before sighing contently. She glanced towards Severus and caught his look. She only smiled, though, and gently brushed a blond curl back from her daughter's face. Their daughter was beautiful as she slept. It was as if staring into the face of an angel.

A few minutes later, Aurora heard a soft sigh of annoyance from the other side of the bed. She glanced towards Severus. She couldn't understand what annoyed him so much. Their daughter was safe and with them. When he flicked a blonde curl, she understood. Angel's hair, unfortunately, was like hers. It went all over and was usually in someone's face. In this case, her hair was in her father's face.

"Oh, suck it up, Severus," she whispered, closing her eyes. Laughing softly, she fell asleep.


	2. Perfect Way to Start the Day

**Perfect Way to Start the Day**

The next morning when Aurora woke up, she felt well rested and more content than she had ever felt before. A few quiet moments later, she blinked owlishly while stretching her back. The strong arms wrapped around her waist made her smile widen as they pulled her even closer to the warm body sleeping next to her. She slowly rolled onto her side so she could face Severus. His face was relaxed, and his breathing was even. He looked positively peaceful as he slept.

Aurora couldn't hold back her wicked side any longer. Sneakily, she raised a hand and gently trailed her finger down his face. He responded instantly by grabbing her wrist and effectively ceasing her actions. His dark eyes opened before he leveled a half-hearted glare at her. She grinned in response.

"Sorry, couldn't resist," Aurora said. She immediately shrieked in surprise when he pulled her towards him. He had used so much force that she ended up lying on top of him. He raised an eyebrow at her as if challenging her to say something. She drew in a breath and lightly kissed his lips, though. It didn't take long before their kiss deepened.

"Um . . . Mummy, Daddy," a soft voice said hesitantly from the doorway a few seconds later.

"Yes, Angel?" Severus replied in his familiar calm manner. His dark eyes stared at Aurora who was desperately wishing she were elsewhere.

"Can I go upstairs with Grandpa?"

"For breakfast in the Great Hall?" responded Severus.

"Yup, Grandpa says the elves outdid themselves this morning, and that there are stacks of pancakes that are this big. This big, Daddy, can you believe it? Oh and there's supposed to be a new flavor of juice this morning. The elves came up with it, and it's supposed to be even yummier than pumpkin juice, but I haven't really had it yet so I guess I won't know if it's yummier or not, but Grandpa says the elves are wonderful cooks so I guess I can believe that because nobody is as smart as Grandpa. Right, Daddy? Well, maybe you are . . . and maybe Mummy too, but Grandpa's like this really cool wizard who can—"

"Go."

"Thank you, Daddy."

Sounds of happy humming then slowly retreated as Angel skipped away from her parents' bedroom. Severus caught the soft sigh of relief from Aurora, which made him chuckle. While it was embarrassing that their daughter caught them, he knew that it didn't even compare to what he'd feel if it had been Albus or Minerva.

"I doubt she even realized, Aurora. In case you did not, she was rather excited about breakfast. I take it that is another trait she gets from your side?" Aurora instantly gave him a piercing glare. "I only meant her . . . chipper side," he clarified. "After all, I doubt there was ever a Prince who acted like a . . . Hufflepuff and lived to tell the tale."

"I'll have you know that every single member of my family was in Slytherin. There's not a single Hufflepuff in my tree on both sides."

"Then your sister did not even act like her growing up?"

"No. Jezzie was more . . . quiet."

"I see. Then perhaps we should rethink the guardianship." At the sight of Aurora's look, he sighed. "Well, Albus does tend to drive anyone into Hufflepuff tendencies."

"He's a Gryffindor, though."

"Who eats anything that is 100% sugar," he drawled. "If this is how our daughter acts without sugar, I'd hate to see her on it." He couldn't hold back the chill as visions danced around his head of his little girl bouncing around. "Perhaps we should dress and head upstairs." He sighed as he motioned towards her that he wanted to get up. Seconds later, Aurora slowly rolled over onto her side of the bed.

"Why?" she asked as he slowly got out of bed.

"Didn't you hear your daughter, Aurora? There are stacks of pancakes this big," he replied jokingly, exaggerating the height with his hands. He quietly chuckled when a pillow flew towards him.

"She's your daughter too, Severus."

"I'll believe that when I see her do something that's like me and not like her crazy mother." He quickly ducked into the bathroom right as a blasting curse headed for him. Loud laughter erupted then from the other side of the door.


	3. Necessary Adjustments

**Necessary Adjustments**

Aurora sighed heavily as she readjusted her blue robes for what seemed to be the hundredth time that morning. She could feel Severus's eyes glancing towards her as they walked down the long, dreary dungeon corridor. She knew he was becoming rather annoyed with her constant readjusting, but it had felt so long since she had worn robes. They were just about to turn the corner to walk up the stairs when he stopped and whirled around in front of her as she started to adjust her robes again.

"Will you cease adjusting your damn robes every two seconds? You look fine."

"I know. I'm sorry. Can we just go?" His dark eyes remained on her before he gently grabbed her arm just above the elbow. "Severus, what are you doing?" He didn't respond, though. He only led her towards an empty classroom. The door clang shut behind them. His hand then left her arm before he stepped back. She had to admit that she felt rather uncomfortable as his dark eyes trailed down her body. However, she held her ground.

"There is nothing wrong with your robes."

"Yes, well, thank you for that, Captain Obvious," she drawled.

"Yet you feel uncomfortable in them."

"It's nothing, Severus. I'm fine."

"No. You are not fine, Aurora. Remove your robes."

Her mouth dropped. He couldn't have just said that. She tried to speak, but found no words. After all, how does one respond when someone asks one to remove one's clothing? She drew in a breath and tried again.

"No."

"Aurora," he said softly. His eyes showed no anger. "Remove your robes, or I will."

She didn't respond, though. She couldn't actually form any words again. She was too shocked. Honestly, how would removing her robes help the situation any? She stared at him for what seemed to be moments before he sighed softly.

"Very well," he spoke. He then took a step towards her, which made her involuntarily take a step backwards. However, it quickly was a moot point of trying to get away from him because she had backed herself up against the wall. As his hand gently pushed the robes off her shoulders, she stood there staring at him. The robes quickly pooled around her feet, leaving her in a light blue blouse and black slacks. He stared at her for a few moments before sighing again. "You're still uncomfortable."

"Yes, well, you would be too if-if _that_ just happened to you!" she replied defensively.

"There's no need to act as if I did something inappropriate, Aurora. You are still fully clothed." He then seemed to reconsider his statement. "I apologize for making you feel uncomfortable. That was not my intention."

"Then just what was your intention, Severus?"

"I had thought that if I removed your robes, you would not feel so uneasy. I see that I was mistaken in my assumption."

"No," she said, sighing. "Severus, you weren't mistaken. I just, well, they don't feel right on me. I don't know how to describe it." She then shook her head. "It's been a week since I've worn robes." She watched him nod slowly. "It just doesn't feel right." She then picked at the blouse and slacks she was wearing. "Even these don't feel right on me, and I know I wear them."

"What would feel right on you today?"

"I honestly don't know." Growling, she stared down at what she was wearing. She felt utterly disgusted with herself. This was not her. Aurora Sinistra was not a person who wore these types of clothes. For a split second, she allowed her irrational side to take over, which made her attempt to rip her blouse off. Long slender fingers instantly grabbed her hands, though, and stopped her. "This isn't me, Severus. I don't wear these types of things," she said, staring at him with a helpless look.

"I understand," he quietly replied. He then sighed softly. "Perhaps I should leave while you decide on what you wish to wear. Take no heed in what others might think. Dress how you wish to dress, Aurora." He then kissed her cheek before he swept out of the room with his robes billowing.

"The only problem is I don't know what I want to wear," she grumbled quietly, "Mokai!"


	4. Ruckus at Breakfast

**Ruckus at Breakfast**

Ten minutes later, Aurora sighed contently. Before rejoining Severus, she allowed herself to brush her hand against the soft material one last time. When she was positively convinced that everything was perfect, she opened the door and stepped out, only to find him not waiting there. Narrowing her eyes suspiciously, she glanced around the dark corridors.

Her hands went to her slender hips immediately. After a few moments, she decided that he must have headed up to the Great Hall without her, so she started to head towards the stairs that led to the entrance hall. However, the exact second she reached the top, a loud wolf whistle behind her made her whirl around to see who had the nerve.

"Peeves," Aurora growled. She could only guess how he'd ruin her morning.

"My, my, Miss Astronomy Professor looks nice this morning," replied Peeves with a wolfish grin. "Has Mr. Dark Wizard seen Miss this morning?"

Aurora couldn't keep the grin from reaching her face as she blushed. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all. She rolled her eyes and stared at the poltergeist a few seconds later. Oh, whom was she kidding? This was Peeves. She drew in a deep breath before speaking.

"Peeves, that is no way to address Severus or me," she admonished.

"Perhaps not, but Miss does look rather ravishing. It makes Peeves wish he wasn't a poltergeist."

Again, she blushed horribly. She didn't think she looked ravishing, but the way Peeves was carrying on it had to be true. She then noticed him hold his arm out to her.

"Peeves would truly be honored to walk Miss Astronomy Professor to the Great Hall," the usually troublemaker poltergeist said softly. "That is if Miss Astronomy Professor says yes."

"Well, I'd be eternally grateful if you did, Peeves, but I doubt Severus would appreciate us walking in together."

"I understand, Miss Astronomy Professor," Peeves replied, lowering his head.

"Well, I wasn't saying that you couldn't come with me, Peeves." Aurora's eyes then narrowed on the Bloody Baron who slowly floated towards them. She was beginning to think she was going to meet all of the ghosts this morning. "I take it Severus sent you to check up on me?" The Bloody Baron shook his head, which rattled his chains. She felt a chill overtake her at the haunting sound.

"Ah, there you are, Miss Sinistra," a familiar voice spoke behind her. She turned around and sighed. Yet another of the ghosts had found her. "We were beginning to think you got lost."

"How could I ever be lost, Sir Nicholas, when I am in such good company?" Aurora replied. "Need I wait for the Grey Lady and the Fat Friar?"

"No, my dear," Sir Nicholas, Gryffindor's ghost, responded pleasantly. "She rarely ventures to this part of the castle, and the Friar's convinced you did not need rescuing."

"Ah, so I see. Well, I should be on my way then."

"It seems to us, Miss Sinistra, that you are in need of an escort," Sir Nicholas stated, making her turn back towards the ghosts.

"I'm only late by ten minutes, Sir Nicholas."

"Yes, but you are also dressed like that."

"Is there something wrong with the way I'm dressed?" she replied defensively.

"No. However, it seems a shame for you to walk in without a fanfare." Sir Nicholas then glanced towards Peeves. "Do you not agree, Peeves?"

"Guys, don't," Aurora said with a smile. "Severus will kill you."

"Forgive me, Miss Sinistra, but is that before or after he sees you in that dress?" Gryffindor's ghost and Peeves then bowed their heads slightly before floating towards the Great Hall.

Aurora then turned towards the Bloody Baron. She sighed heavily before rolling her eyes. When she was a child, he had always scared the living daylights out of her because of the blood on his clothes. However, she had to admit that something about him reminded her of Severus.

"Oh, all right, let's go, Baron," she drawled before walking towards the Great Hall. Their walk took exactly two minutes. She sighed when she stood right in front of the massive doors. A few seconds later, she glanced towards the Baron, only to find him not there. "Wise decision, Baron," she muttered. "Too bad I can't do that."

Drawing in a deep breath, Aurora turned around and headed towards the large gold statue that was next to the doors. She had seen Albus and Severus do the exact same thing she was about to do many times before. It couldn't be that hard. Walking in her black boots, she quickly headed towards the massive doors of the Great Hall, hoping that Hogwarts would allow her to join them in this feat. When she was precisely a foot from the door, she quickly closed her eyes.

The impending collision that she feared with the doors never happened. The doors swung open by her mere presence with a resounding sound. She opened her eyes at the rush of smells of the wondrous foods. She grinned widely when she felt the eyes on her. So far, everything was going according to her plan.

Walking with a commanding presence, she headed towards the High Table. Her boots loudly hit the stone floor as she walked in between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables. Halfway to the table, she glanced up to the raised platform where all of her coworkers sat. She nearly laughed when she noticed several of her male colleagues were standing and staring at her. Her eyes then found Severus. He looked to be speechless for the first time in his life.

Aurora quietly laughed when she rounded the table. It was the first time she had noticed the students. She noticed the intense whispering that took place at the Slytherin table. The dropped jaws at the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables made her laugh even more. It was the Gryffindor table, though, that made her smile the most. Fred and George Weasley were both standing up, staring at her dumbfounded. She silently took her seat before glancing down. She could feel her face beating red from all the excitement.

"New dress?" quietly asked Septima Vector, a green-eyed witch with light-brown hair.

"Um, yeah, you could say that."

"Well, it's certainly jaw dropping. Hon, just so you know. You just ensured that every boy in this room is going to have really good dreams tonight." Septima then leaned closer towards her as Aurora quietly set the napkin on her lap. "Don't be surprised if the house elves request you change the bedding in the morning," she whispered.

"Septima!" exclaimed Aurora before she playfully hit her best friend in the arm. She then glanced down the table towards Severus. He was glaring at several of the male students who were still gawking at her. The only man in the room she cared about having good dreams tonight was Severus.

"I could be wrong, but I think Severus might have smiled when you walked in the room."

"Good," Aurora replied with a soft laugh as she grabbed her goblet. She silently took a sip and tried to hide her grin. She had to admit. The nectar was rather good.

"You know, I can understand the whole making an entrance bit you did, but did you have to change the banners while you were making your way up here, Aurora?"

"I-I don't understand, Septima." A few seconds later, Aurora watched her best friend point upwards to the banners hanging overhead. Her eyes instantly narrowed on the green and silver Slytherin House banners. "Oh," she quietly said. "Um, probably should fix that, shouldn't I?"

"Only if you don't want to start another feud between the Houses, but it is totally up to you. Looking at you, Hon, I'll totally support Slytherin this time," Septima quietly replied.

"Yeah, let's change those back." Aurora then clapped her hand before throwing her hands out to the banners. She sighed contently when all four Houses banners appeared. She then glanced towards Albus and smiled apologetically towards him. He only raised an eyebrow before turning back to his conversation with Minerva McGonagall, the Head of Gryffindor and Angel's godmother. "I'm dead," she whispered.

"I doubt that. Hell, didn't you and Severus try to destroy the Great Hall in the summer? Nah, Hon, you're good. You know, I bet Albus would even let you take a few of the naughty boys on staff to Dungeon Five." Septima then laughed loudly, which Aurora joined in a moment later. "Oh, those poor miserable bastards . . . They wouldn't know what to do with themselves."

Aurora was nearly on the floor, laughing so hard. She quickly sobered up when she felt a swift kick in the shin from Rolanda Hooch, the flying instructor, who sat on the other side of her. She knew she was acting rather hysterical, but she was having a rather good day now. She slowly nodded before trying to eat her now cold breakfast. A thought slowly dawned on her, which made her glance towards Albus again. She softly sighed when she caught her daughter sneaking a glance at her. Angel looked rather happy sitting next to Albus, but it didn't make Aurora feel any better.

"I'm a horrible mother," Aurora quietly said so that only Septima could hear.

"No you're not. Your daughter just likes spending time with Grandpa more than Mummy."

"But I'm over here laughing like a crazed lunatic while Albus is taking my time with my daughter. I should march right over there and-and-get her back."

"So do it then," Septima drawled before taking another sip of her drink.

Aurora glanced at her best friend for a few seconds before nodding. Septima was right. Anyone could say anything she wanted, but it actually takes guts to do something about it. Aurora sighed before throwing her napkin on her plate. She then stood up and walked over towards the middle of the table where Albus and Angel were sitting. She was just about to open her mouth when a familiar owl hopped down onto the table just in front of Albus. She instantly stopped and stared at the envelope.

"Hmm," Albus said while plucking the envelope from the owl's talons. He then glanced towards Aurora and held the envelope out. "I believe this is for you, my dear, and might I say that you look positively radiating today."

"Um, okay, thanks," Aurora numbly replied while she grabbed the envelope. It couldn't be from . . . Her eyes narrowed on the address. "Oh, please, Circe, don't be what I think this is," she muttered before opening it.

_December 22, 1995_

_My dearest daughter who never writes or fire-calls:_

_While you have no doubt decided yet again to spend your Holidays at Hogwarts devoting all your time in avoiding me, I am pleased to inform you that your father and I will be arriving shortly. No doubt, my dearest, this brings you such great pleasure that you are positively aglow with life. However, unlike past Holidays where you have avoided your father and I like the plague, we have both decided that this year you are just going to have to grin and bear it. After all, you are not my only daughter who is at Hogwarts this year, are you? Now, I shall leave you to screaming your pretty head off, but I'll leave you with this heartwarming fact. I could have sent a Howler, but I did not. There is that, my dearest Aurora._

_SS_

Aurora felt her heart instantly stop after reading the letter. No. She had to have read it wrong. However, after reading it the twentieth time, the words didn't change. The letter dropped to the floor before she released a shuddering breath. She instantly felt herself start to breathe heavily as the on setting panic attack occurred.

"My dear, perhaps you should sit," a voice she couldn't recognize said as someone gently led her to a chair. The walls felt like they were closing in, but they always did when she knew her mother was coming. She had thought she would have time to ease everyone into this whole situation, but it seemed her mother had different plans like always.

"Aurora, what's wrong?" That voice she recognized. It was her rock. The man she desperately needed to make all the bad things go away, namely her mother. Her arms quickly wrapped around his neck, which she heard him take a sudden intake of breath at the force of her embrace. However, she needed to feel safe. She needed Severus to make that horrible letter go away.

"My mother," she cried into his shoulder.

"I-I am sorry for your loss, Aurora." His arms tightened around her as he held her, soaking in all of her pain. Or so he thought at least.

"Oh how I wish that were true," Aurora snarled back.

"I—what?" responded Severus, rather confused.

"Oh—oh, Aurora, you—you didn't tell her?" Septima's voice cut in the darkness.

"What was I supposed to say, Septima?" Aurora replied, taking a step back from Severus's safe arms. "Gee, Mum, hey, um, you know how you've been pushing guys on me since I was like, say, thirteen? Yeah, well, you don't need to worry anymore. You're a grandma! Yeah, I'd be at the bottom of Black Lake before you could say 'star."

"Oh, this is bad," whispered Septima, which Aurora only nodded. This was very bad.


	5. Strict Parenting

**Strict Parenting**

It had been several minutes after Aurora's little world tilted off its axis. She and Severus were now in their quarters. Thankfully, Albus had agreed to watch Angel for a few more hours while she explained to Severus why it was so very bad. Upon reentering their quarters, she handed him the letter. She watched him read it, hoping to see some sort of reaction on his face, but there was none.

"I take it you're concerned about what your parents will say once they learn of our relationship?"

"Um, yeah, it's sort of like that," replied Aurora hesitantly. She then sat down on the edge of the sofa and buried her head in her hands. She breathed in deeply at least a dozen or so times before finally glancing towards Severus again. "Okay, so how much do you want to know about my family?"

"As much as you are willing to tell me," Severus replied calmly.

"Well, um, I'm from a typical pureblooded family. On both sides, my family's been in Slytherin. My mum has been trying to get me married since I was thirteen because she's all about continuing the Sinistra bloodline. Bloodlines are, um, very important to her."

"Then you believe she will take offense that you are with a half-blood?"

"Uh, yeah, more or less," Aurora quietly replied. "Mum isn't like those purebloods that care about the magical level, though. That isn't why she cares so much about blood purity. She cares more or less because—"

"She believes Muggles dirty the bloodlines?" Severus offered.

"Um, no, more of like she—well, she doesn't necessarily have an issue with Muggles. In fact, my mum actually loves Muggles."

"Then why do you believe she'll have an issue with me being a half-blood?"

"Um, well, see, um, I can't really explain, Severus. I mean, I want to, but I can't."

"You don't trust me?" he asked.

"No. It isn't a matter of trust, Severus. It's more of I don't really know why." Aurora then sighed heavily. "When I was growing up, I remember bits and pieces of things that at the time didn't make much sense to me. They still don't necessarily make sense."

"But you have a suspicion of something?"

"Yeah, and I don't want to say it without knowing that it's true yet."

"I see," Severus replied, nodding slowly. "Then it has nothing to do with you being related somehow to Slytherin?"

"It might because, well, I don't know. My mother has always claimed that we descend from him, but I've never found one branch that links us. I mean, I even looked at the books here. There is no mentioning of anyone on my mother's side marrying or even dating a descendent. Then again, Mum refuses to give me her surname, but it isn't like there are that many witches with the name Syra."

"Then I take it you have a plan on how to deal with your parents' arrival?"

"Well, it isn't my father that we're going to have to worry about, Severus. My mother is going to be the one we're going to have to keep in the dark for a bit." Aurora then sighed heavily. "Oh, this would be so much easier if Albus actually married us."

"Nothing is preventing us from marrying now, Aurora."

"Oh, but there is, Severus," Aurora replied. "If my mother learns that I did not marry in the old way, she will kill us both. Hell, she'll probably kill us anyway because Angel was born out of wedlock."

"Your mother cares of such things?"

"Hey, yours does too," Aurora said before glancing towards Severus.

"I assure you that she doesn't, Aurora." He then sighed. "Regrettably, my mother for all intensive purposes has found you to be more entertaining if she irritates you. She has no qualms with women who bear children out of wedlock. Otherwise, she would have an issue with herself."

"Then that Muggle saying is correct like father, like daughter." She then laughed softly before sighing. "How do you do it, Severus? How can you just make everything I'm scared of just go away?"

"I am not doing anything, Aurora." He then sighed. "What do you mean by the 'old way?"

"Supposedly, during Merlin's age, witches and wizards were considered married after they did a series of different rituals. I think there's like five in all, but I'm not sure. The first ritual is the Cleansing. It is where the bride and groom confess their sins to each other to be absolved."

"Sounds as if it were devised by a Muggle," Severus said rather disgusted.

"Yeah, well, I like that ritual when compared to the next one. The Ritual of Sorrow is where the bride and groom relive their painful memories together as one."

"Ah, then perhaps you are right."

"Next is the Ritual of Binding, which I never figured out how that differs from the Sorrow one. The fourth is the Affirmation Ritual, where we make our vows to each other. This is the one where we would be in front of all our friends and family. It's the traditional part of a wedding."

"I take the next ritual is purely sexual in nature?"

"To seal the oath in," Aurora answered with a soft smile. She then glanced down. "Okay, well, that one isn't so bad either since it's with you. However, um, you should know something, Severus. According to my father, that last ritual ensures a pregnancy. We would be parents again, and I very much doubt your mother can speed that pregnancy up too."

"I see. It is no wonder then why there are so many witches and wizards from that time period."

"Severus," Aurora said, laughing. "Would we even want more children? I mean, we've had Angel for about a week and since Albus aged her, we haven't really spent that much time with her."

"Which is not necessarily due to us, Aurora," he quickly pointed out. "I believe you heard Septima state that Angel seems to be enjoying her time more with her grandfather than us." He then walked over towards her before joining her on the sofa. "I must admit that I do not quite loathe the idea of having more children with you." He then glanced down at the floor to collect his thoughts. "It—I was not there for you when you were carrying Angel. I mean, I was there several hours before I became a father obviously, but I did not see the transformation occur. I only saw the end result."

"In other words, you feel cheated."

"One might say so, yes," he admitted. "It'd also ensure that our daughter wouldn't be lonely."

"Just admit it, Severus," Aurora drawled. Whispering in his ear, she said, "You only want to marry me for the sex." When his arms wrapped around her and pulled her towards him, she laughed.

"You wish," he replied in a low voice, kissing her gently.


	6. Things to Come

**Things to Come**

Two hours later, Aurora was in the Astronomy Tower with Angel. Both were laughing as Aurora pointed towards the large squid that was just barely sticking out of the water in Black Lake. She had to admit that she was enjoying herself immensely with her daughter. She was rather surprised with how much her little girl had already picked up from her conversations with Albus. However, she had to remind herself that Angel was a child so everything she said was childlike but so innocent.

"And then Grandpa said that he would take me to Honeydukes sometime because they have the best candy ever. Did you know that, Mummy?"

"I had heard that, yes," Aurora replied, smiling. "It sounds like you and Grandpa had a good day so far." She laughed when Angel nodded fiercely. Severus was right. Angel did take after her. "Well, Daddy and I have been missing you horribly."

"I know, Mummy," Angel said softly. "I'm sorry, but I was just thinking that you and Daddy needed some time alone, though."

Aurora instantly burst out laughing before picking Angel up. She was amazed at how easy this parenting thing was to her. It was almost as if it was second nature. With Angel resting easily on her hip, she smiled down at her little girl.

"Well, you don't need to worry about Daddy and me, sweetheart. I think we'll manage to find some time together."

"Like when you and Daddy get married?"

"You are a very smart little girl, do you know that? That, my sweet, is a trait you get from your father." Aurora then kissed her daughter on top of the head before sighing contently. "But, yes, we'll probably find time then. Right now, though, we want to spend some time with you."

"Then why's Daddy downstairs?" Angel replied curiously.

"Because, unfortunately, we have to share Daddy with his damn potions," Aurora said rather annoyed with Severus. She then caught her daughter's soft giggles. "What's so funny?"

"You said a bad word," Angel answered through a fit of giggles.

"Yes, well, you'll probably hear a lot of that from us. Your daddy and I have a bit of an anger issue, which means that you, my dear, are either going to have your daddy's temper or mine." _Circe, save us if you have your father's,_ Aurora quietly mused. "So what else did Grandpa and you do today?"

"Well, Grandpa took me to this really cool part of the castle that only a few people have ever been in. It was very bright there except for one part, but Grandpa made sure I didn't go over to it. He said he didn't want me to get hurt. Grandpa said he'd be sad if something happened to me."

"We all would, Angel," Aurora quietly replied. "Do you know how much everyone loves you?" She softly laughed when her daughter nodded fiercely.

"Grandma says it's cause I've got the perfect parts of you and Daddy in me," Angel proudly said. "And I think Grandpa just loves me 'cause he thinks I'll keep Daddy happy." She then leaned towards Aurora and looked around suspiciously. "Don't tell Daddy, but I think Grandma and Grandpa are betting on when Daddy smiles."

"Your secret's safe," replied Aurora, grinning. She then watched Angel sigh heavily. "What?"

"You know, Mummy, I don't think Grandpa meant for us to go there. He seemed rather confused when the candles came on."

"He did, did he? Did Grandpa say anything?"

"Only that I should stay close to him," Angel answered. She then yawned loudly.

"You seem a little tired. Maybe I should put you down for a nap."

"Mummy, I am not a baby."

"Well, you should be," drawled Aurora. She sighed heavily again. She knew her daughter probably already knew what had her so worried, but she felt like vocalizing her fears. "Your grandmother's coming," she said glumly.

"I know. It's because Grandma Syra wants to tell you something big before your birthday."

"And I guess you know what it is, don't you?" Aurora smiled when Angel nodded fiercely. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to tell your mother, would you?"

"I think it's better if Grandma tells you, Mummy, but if you really want me to I will."

"Yes, you're probably right, Angel." Aurora then sighed heavily. "Is it bad?"

"I don't know. It could be."

"Well, maybe you should tell me then just so I don't kill your grandmother accidently."

"Really, Mummy?" asked Angel hesitantly.

"Yes, sweetheart, tell me what Grandma's going to spring on me this time."

"Okay, Mummy," said the young child. She then sighed heavily. "You're going to get sick because of Grandma's mummy. I mean sick, Mummy, and Grandma wants you to know how to make you better so you don't die. It's the reason why Grandma's been trying to get you dates because you need to be married before then. But Daddy will make you all better," she happily stated with a beaming grin. "Grandma just doesn't know about Daddy yet, but Daddy's going to make you better."

"How's he going to do that, Angel?"

"Daddy's blood will save you. He'll give you some of it, and it'll make you all better."

"Um, Angel, am I sick right now?"

"You're starting to, Mummy, but right now it's only in your head."

"But I'm going to get sick?" Angel immediately nodded. "As in, um, a bad cold or . . . ?"

"Daddy's gonna try to wake you, and you won't wake. It'll scare Daddy because he doesn't want to lose you like he lost Harry's mummy." Angel then glanced down. "Um, Mummy?" she asked.

"Yes, sweetheart?" replied Aurora softly.

"Grandma's mummy is how we're part of Slytherin. She did a bad thing with Slytherin, which made Grandma." Angel failed to notice her mother's large eyes as she continued speaking. "We're a part of the unknown line, Mummy, which is what he wanted so his wife didn't know that he did a bad thing."

"He-he's, oh my," Aurora whispered before holding her head in her hands. "Is that all?"

"No, but I'm can't be spoiling all of Grandma's fun," Angel replied, laughing. "I do have to make her like me, and according to Grandma, if I keep showing off like I've been doing, Grandma Syra won't like me. I know she will, though." Angel then hugged Aurora. "Love you, Mummy, and don't worry. It'll work out in the end. I know it. We just have to get over this part, and then it'll all be good."


	7. Sea of Green

**Sea of Green**

"How's the potion coming?" Aurora asked sometime around two in the morning. She instantly caught Severus's sigh, but she ignored it. He was the main reason why she couldn't sleep tonight so he had it coming in her mind. She walked closer to him before sitting on a stool next to the cauldron. He glanced towards her before throwing an ingredient in.

"You should be asleep," he said.

"So should you, Severus."

"The potion is fine. I am in the last stages of brewing."

"Oh, and what's this one going to do?" Again, he glanced at Aurora before looking away. "I'm just asking. I'm not going to steal your recipe or anything."

"As if I should ever worry about that," he mumbled under his breath. "I am unsure of what it will do. I am merely experimenting."

"Oh, so it could possibly kill us all then? How wonderful," she drawled. "At least I won't have to explain to my mother about us tomorrow then when she and Dad come."

"Avoiding your problems will not help the situation, Aurora."

"Yeah, well, you're one to talk."

"And just what am I avoiding?" he asked, glancing towards her.

"Right now, you're not avoiding anything, but you will." He scoffed before shaking his head.

"You're being ridiculous."

"No I'm not," replied Aurora before she reached across the cauldron to make him stop and listen. However, her arm ended up knocking over a jar of cloves, which fell into the cauldron. She instantly gasped. "I'm-I'm sorry, Severus. What-what is that going to do exactly to your potion?"

"As I said, I'm experimenting so I haven't the slightest clue," he replied tersely, glaring at the cauldron. Nothing seemed to be wrong so far. He went over every single ingredient he had added to find any explosive additives. Nothing came to mind. "Perhaps it would be best if you left."

"Severus, I didn't mean for that to happen."

"Frankly, Aurora, I do not care. It is just best for both of us if I am able to focus on brewing without you distracting me."

"Oh, gee, sorry, Severus, I just thought that maybe you'd like to come to bed," Aurora growled.

"Aurora," he replied with a slight hiss.

"But no, you and your goddamn potion are just so happy together." Without thinking of what she was doing, she grabbed an unknown ingredient from the shelf and tossed it in. "I hope you two are happy together." She then whirled around to storm back to their quarters. However, he roughly latched onto her upper arm and spun her back towards him.

"You are acting as if you just caught me with another woman. I am merely brewing, Aurora."

"Oh, you are so beyond 'merely,' Severus. You've been in here all damn day and almost all night too. So yes, I am acting as if I caught you in an affair because it's pretty much what it is."

The cauldron behind them started to hiss and bubble up with a frothy green liquid. However, neither noticed it since they were too engrossed in their argument. Little splatter blobs of green then flew up and splashed the wall as more liquid frothed up.

"You are being ridiculous, Aurora!"

"I'm being ridiculous! You're the one in here spending all your time away from your family. Is it too much for me to ask to spend time with you?"

"You saw me after you made a complete fool of yourself at breakfast."

"It's not the same as being in your arms, though!" Aurora then gently rested her hand on his chest. "Severus, please. Is it too much for me to ask for to spend our nights together?" Something then speckled her cheek. It made her wince slightly as it stung. Her hand instantly went to her face as she wiped it off. At the sight of smudged green, she glanced at Severus. Her eyes widened immediately at the large green blob behind them, though. Her mouth dropped, and no words came to mind.

"What in Merlin's name is wrong now, Aurora?" Snape quietly growled before turning around. He couldn't cast his spell quick enough, though. No amount of destructive Longbottom potions could have prepared him for this one. The blob exploded and doused the entire room in a sea of green.


	8. Half Full Potion

**Half Full Potion**

She slowly regained consciousness, and the first thing she noticed was how sore she felt. She groaned softly before rolling onto her side in an attempt to alleviate her pain. Briefly, her eyes fluttered before she tried to open them. As soon as she opened her eyes, the bright light instantly blinded her. She quickly covered her eyes with the back of her hand and released a pain filled moan.

"Ah, good, good, you're finally awake. How do you feel, Professor Sinistra?"

"Professor-what are you talking about? I'm not a professor," she replied before trying to look at the person addressing her. It didn't take long for her eyes to adjust to the light. The woman standing next to her bedside wore a long red dress with a white apron and a white hat of some kind that hid her graying hair. "I-I know you," she said to the woman.

"Well, of course you do, my dear," the woman replied with a soft smile. However, there was badly concealed concern in the woman's eyes. "Can you recall what happened last night, Aurora?"

"Not-not exactly, no, but, well, I was hexed again, wasn't I?"

"Unfortunately, it was much worse than that, my dear. You were in the Potions—"

"Why on earth would I have been there?" Aurora interrupted. Her eyes then widened. "Oh, no, please tell me I didn't cause another accident. Severus will never let me live it down again. He's still upset over last week's incident."

"I do not believe you need to worry about that, my dear," a familiar long white beard wizard said, chuckling as he walked up to Aurora's bedside.

"I didn't kill him, did I, Headmaster?"

"No, my dear, Severus is perfectly well as are you." Professor Dumbledore then glanced towards the witch taking care of Aurora. The two shared a look between each other before the older witch nodded slowly, causing Professor Dumbledore to sigh softly. "It seems as if Severus was working on a deaging potion, and somehow there was an accident. Do you remember any of this, my dear?"

"Not specifically, no, Headmaster," Aurora responded. An idea then hit her about what that look the two shared meant. She quickly conjured a mirror and looked at her reflection. She didn't look any younger than she should have been. After all, she _was_ only fifteen. She sighed contently before glancing up at Professor Dumbledore. "I bet he's absolutely distraught that he was wrong," she said with a smirk. She instantly heard the sudden intake of air from the witch next to her. Her eyes narrowed on both of them. She couldn't understand what that gasp was right about then. It hadn't worked, had it?

"I must say that this is interesting to say the least, my dear," Professor Dumbledore quietly said before scratching his beard. He then glanced over his spectacles and acted as if he was scrutinizing her appearance. Finally, after a few moments, his eyes twinkled before he nodded slowly. "My dear, I am afraid that you are incorrect. His potion did in fact work."

"Then-then—oh my—how old am I?"

"Thirty-five eight days from now," he replied calmly as the woman walked away.

"But that means he's taken twenty years from me," Aurora cried.

"I am sure, my dear, that the accident was not intentional since Severus is also afflicted by it."

"Then he's . . ."

"He has also been deaged, yes," he responded. "In fact, he appears to be sixteen."

"Great," Aurora drawled. "I don't know that much about potions, but shouldn't deaging potions allow me to recall my memories of the last twenty or so years?"

"That is the normal result, yes, but it seems as if this new formula is much stronger than the usual version. I must admit that I am rather impressed. Are you not also?"

"Not in the slightest, Headmaster," Aurora growled. "Can you fix it?"

"We have tried, my dear, but all attempts have failed thus far. However, I am researching the ingredients used, and Filius and I are attempting to recreate the incident so that we may be able to rectify the situation."

"Until then, however, I'm supposed to do what exactly?"

"Well, if I were you, my dear, I'd take this as an opportunity to start over."

"Why? Aren't I happy with my life now?"

"Oh, you are very happy, my dear. In fact, you were to be married later this evening."

"I'm engaged?"

"Technically you are engaged, yes, but you should be in reality married. You see, my dear, I could not marry the both of you legally, but neither of you cared at the time."

"Do I have any children?"

"A daughter, who is currently with Minerva," he responded. "She is aware of the situation and understands that you will need time to adjust."

"Oh, um, does my fiancé or husband or whatever he is, does he know?"

"I believe he is aware that an accident has taken place."

"He doesn't want to see me?" she asked in disbelief.

"I am sure he would, my dear, but we have had to take certain precautions since there is a lot about this potion that we do not know." He then sighed softly. "Unfortunately, to complicate matters, my dear, your parents have arrived and are requesting to meet with you."

"Well, they're probably here for the wedding then."

"I am under the impression that only your fiancé and I knew about the wedding." Professor Dumbledore then flashed a brief sad smile. "He had hoped to surprise you last night by informing you that he had finished the necessary details concerning your wedding. In fact, it is most likely the reason as to why he and you had an argument last night."

"But I want to marry him, don't I?"

"Oh, yes, very much so, my dear, but he had thought if he had you distracted by a habit of his that you find infuriating that he could ensure that you were surprised. Unfortunately, his habit seems to have caused the argument, which I believe is the reason the accident occurred."

"I see. Um, what does Severus have to do with this, though? I mean, it's not like I'd ever marry him." Aurora then laughed as she thought how absurd that would be. He was Lily's, not hers. It was a fact that Lily Evans reminded her of on a daily basis. He was to be left alone or else. Aurora still hadn't learned what the 'or else' part meant, but she wasn't about to risk expulsion to find out. She then noticed that Professor Dumbledore wasn't joining in on her laughter. She quickly sobered up and felt her chest constrict. "You can't be serious, Headmaster," she said. "But he's Lily's, not mine. She'd kill me if we were together. Hell, Severus would join in." He only stared at her, though. "I'm marrying Severus," she whispered breathlessly. "Then, um, something happened between Lily and him, yes?" Professor Dumbledore remained still. "I'm his second choice then. He couldn't have Lily so he chose me."

"My dear, do not think such thoughts. For the twenty so years that I have known the both of you, I never once saw Severus treat you as his second choice. He is content being with you, and I do not believe he would ever wish to be with anyone else. He truly does love you, my dear, so do not consider yourself someone he just settled for."

"But it's always been Lily, though. Everything has always been about her. I mean, if I cast hexes at the little Gryffindor princess, Severus throws a tantrum. If I complain about Miss Perfect in the common room, he storms out. It's always been Lily, Headmaster. He never gave a damn about me."

"That is entirely false, my dear." The steel blue eyes then locked onto Aurora's dark eyes. "Would you then state you are settling with Severus because it did not work between you and Sirius Black your fourth year?"

"Of course not," Aurora cried in outrage. "Sirius was just a way to get back at Severus for spending so much time chasing after Lily." She then shook her head angrily as her words echoed back to her. "I can't believe I just told you that."

"You did not have to, my dear. I am quite the observer so I had noticed the looks between the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables at dinner. I believe there was also a duel that ensued between Sirius and Regulus over it, which I believe Severus finished with a particularly dark curse. I can only imagine how he would have reacted if he had known what had occurred that night between you and Sirius."

"He would have killed Sirius."

"That he would have, my dear, and he will have to learn at some point about that night."

"They're still feuding even after twenty years?"

"Not as much as they used to, my dear," Professor Dumbledore answered. "It is now mostly insults hurtled instead of curses."

"Well, that is better than before I guess." She hadn't been around to see the famous Marauders targeting Severus all the time. Their classes just didn't line up like that. "Who'd Lily end up with?"

"She married James Potter," Professor Dumbledore replied quietly.

"She married that arrogant ass? Oh, it's no wonder why I'm with Severus. I mean, it was so obvious that Potter was chasing Lily. Half of the duels I heard about were probably because Potter was trying to show off to her. Honestly, what witch wouldn't marry a pompous ass like Potter?"

"Aurora," Professor Dumbledore rebuked with a stern look. "Do not presume they remained the same throughout the years. James grew out of that phase of his life. I assure you that they were not the same people that you grew up with, Aurora. They had a son together, Harry James Potter. Unfortunately, poor Harry lost both his parents when Voldemort murdered them. I understand your dislike, my dear, but do not say such things ever again. James and Lily were not the same people you knew."

"Of course, Headmaster, I would never wish that on anyone. I am truly sorry to hear about James and Lily's deaths. However, do not expect me just to forgive and forget what those two did. James used Severus as his way to charm Lily, and Lily used me as her own little outlet to attract attention from James." Aurora then sighed heavily. From what she had seen of the Marauders, though, she at least knew that Severus was their frequent target. "I am sure that their son is not at all like them, but I can't just forget what they did, though, Headmaster."

"Perhaps not, but you can at least try, Aurora."

"Yeah, I can do that." She then inhaled deeply. "I take it I can't see my parents or Severus?"

"Until we know more, I am afraid that you cannot. I shall ask, however, if either Harry or another student would like to deliver your letters for you. Is that acceptable?" She nodded once. "Rest, my dear," he said. "You have had a very enlightening day." He then left, leaving her alone again.


	9. Scheming Slytherin

**Scheming Slytherin**

Aurora sighed for what seemed to be the hundredth time. She had learned from Madam Pomfrey that it was Christmas morning. She didn't really know why, but for some reason this news made her rather depressed. She guessed it was because she knew she had a daughter whom she couldn't see. After debating with herself on the pros and cons of her actions, she finally decided that she was not going to wait another moment. She needed to find her daughter and spend Christmas with her. She would later state that it was an instinct why she felt she needed to do it. Either way, she glanced around to see where Madam Pomfrey was. When she was certain the matron was busy, Aurora grabbed her wand and quietly snuck out of the Hospital Wing.

The only problem was that as soon as she escaped, Aurora had no clue where to look. She didn't even know how old her daughter was. However, this setback was not going to prevent her from finding her daughter. She quickly walked down the long corridor and instantly stopped when she came face to face with a familiar teenager. However, the eyes were different from what she remembered. The young man with messy black hair had bright emerald eyes.

"Were you going somewhere?" the young man asked with a soft smile.

"I feel like I know you," Aurora responded before shaking her head slowly. "Harry, right?" she asked quietly. The young man nodded. "Let me guess. Professor Dumbledore sent you to stop me."

"Not exactly," he answered with a short laugh. "Your daughter actually told me."

"My daughter?" she repeated breathlessly. "She sounds rather smart."

"Oh, she is, and she loves to show off," he said, grinning. "Want me to take you to her?"

"Won't you get into trouble for helping me, Harry?"

"I might, but I figured if my Astronomy professor could sneak out and disobey Professor Dumbledore, well, then what I'm doing isn't nearly as bad as that. Plus, I'm helping Angel out. Oh, um, yeah, Angel is your daughter. Sorry, forgot for a moment that you don't really know her."

Aurora only nodded and quietly followed the young man. She could definitely see his parents in him. After a few moments of walking, they stopped in front of a closed door. She sighed and walked in.

A young girl about six years old with blond curls and dark eyes instantly stared at Aurora from the chair she sat in. There was such warmth in the dark eyes. The young girl then stood up and glanced towards Harry with a soft smile.

"Thank you," she innocently said.

"Anytime, Angel," Harry replied. "Do you want me to stay with you?"

Shaking her head softly, the young girl said, "Daddy's gonna be here soon. I think we'll be fine. Won't we, Mummy?" She then laughed angelically when Aurora gasped. "Everything is okay, Mummy. I know that you and Daddy aren't yourselves." Her dark eyes then darted towards the young man. "Happy Christmas, Harry," she said before hugging him.

"You too, Angel," he replied prior to bending down to her level. "Is there any chance of you telling me what I'm getting for Christmas?"

"I don't want to ruin it, but . . ." Angel then leaned in closer to Harry and lowered her voice to a whisper. "It's something you always wanted, though."

"Cool, well, I should probably go then, shouldn't I?"

"If you don't want Daddy thinking that you're your daddy, then yeah." Harry then stood up and glanced at Aurora before quietly walking out of the empty room.

"So . . .," Aurora said, feeling horribly awkward.

"Mummy, you don't need to be nervous," Angel drawled.

"I wish I shared your optimism." The door behind them then swung open, making Angel and Aurora turn around. When her eyes met the familiar black onyx eyes staring at her, Aurora instantly felt her lips curl upwards. However, Severus didn't seem to share her enthusiasm. In fact, he glared at her.

"Draco," Angel loudly announced, interrupting them. She quickly hugged a tall blond young man who had walked in with Severus. The young man hugged her back briefly with a slight blush.

"Happy Christmas, Angel," Draco responded quietly. "I see Harry beat me down here."

"Just by a few seconds, Draco," she drawled. "Are you and Harry gonna go up to the Great Hall later to play chess?"

"That's the plan." His gray eyes then briefly glanced towards Aurora and Severus before he turned his attention back on the little girl. "Are you thinking about coming up later?"

"That's the plan," Angel replied with a huge grin. "We'll just have to see, though, if Mummy and Daddy cooperate."

Aurora instantly noticed Severus stiffen at the little girl's words. She guessed that she could see it from his point of view. They weren't exactly close by any means and hadn't been. And now to find out that they have a kid together twenty so years later? If she weren't so madly in love with Severus, she too would have been a bit hesitant with the declaration. However, she was that madly in love with him.

"Well, I've got to go. Are you going to be all right down here?"

"Go, Draco," Angel said, rolling her big brown eyes. "We will be just fine." The young girl then grabbed Severus's hand. "Won't we, Daddy?" Again, he stiffened at her words.

Draco glanced at Severus and Aurora once more before leaving. The door quietly shut behind him, and silence quickly filtered into the room.

"Mokai," Angel softly said a few seconds later. A house elf instantly appeared and bowed his head slightly in front of the little girl. "Mokai, can you bring me Daddy's potions journal? I think it's in his labs." The house elf slowly bowed its head again before disappearing.

"Please stop referring to me like that," Severus said with a pained expression on his face. He then crossed his arms tighter around himself as if he was protecting himself from something. A small hand, however, gently rested against his left arm before slowly pushing up his sleeve. He instantly recoiled from the touch. "Don't—don't touch me. You don't know what I am or what I've done . . ." He then inhaled deeply. "I apologize for my words, but you cannot be my daughter. I-I cannot be your father. I just can't be."

"I'm not as innocent as you think, Daddy," Angel replied with a knowing smile. "Grandpa and Grandma told me not to see you, but here I am."

Aurora instantly noticed Severus snort before he turned away. She had never seen him act like this before. What was it about this little girl that affected him so deeply? He never showed his emotions.

"Somehow I doubt that you'll be punished for this." He then shook his head slowly. "How?" he asked. "How are you my daughter?" Slowly, he knelt down in front of the little girl. "I'm not-I'm not a nice man. I've done terrible things in my life."

"I know, Daddy."

"You-you know?" he repeated, scoffing. "Then how can you look at me like that? How can you look at me with those-those warm loving eyes of yours? You should be running—screaming, not looking at me like that."

"Cause I love you," she whispered, staring at him. The house elf then reappeared and handed the familiar black with smears of green journal to the little girl before disappearing once more. She sighed and held it out to him. "Do you remember this book?" He shook his head, though. She then opened it to the last page before handing it to him. "Does that help?"

Aurora watched him glance down the list of notes. From where she was, she instantly recognized his handwriting. Her eyes then narrowed. With the amount of green that covered the page, she guessed that it was open the day of their accident. She then noticed him shake his head slowly. He seemed confused about something that he had written on the page.

"It shouldn't have turned green. There wasn't anything I used that would turn it green." Severus then glanced at the little girl and sighed. "You brought this to me to help, didn't you? I'm sorry, but I already told Professor Dumbledore that I don't remember anything about that life."

"I think you do, but I think something's stopping it." Angel then glanced towards Aurora. "Grandpa says that you two were fighting. If you were fighting with Daddy when he was brewing, what would you do if you got angry?"

"I'd probably hit him," Aurora answered truthfully. "Depending on what he did, though, I might even try to botch his potion."

"How?" asked Angel.

"I don't know," she said with a shrug. "I'd probably throw something in there."

"Have you shown this journal to Professor Dumbledore?"

"Yeah, but they can't get past what happened after this line." The door to the kitchen then opened up again. "Hi, Grandma," Angel said with a soft smile, not even turning around.

"Child," Eileen Prince responded with a sigh. Her dark eyes then fell on her son, who was staring at her. However, she glanced back towards Angel. "I believe you were told not to seek them out, child."

"I know, but I wanted to help Grandpa and Grandma."

"Oh, but of course you did," Eileen drawled. "Just like your mother you are," she said with a sigh. At her granddaughter's look, she groaned. "Let me guess. You're going to ask me to fix them, aren't you? You do realize that—"

"Grandma, you can do it."

"Of course I can fix this, but the point is that I don't want to fix it."

"Yes you do," the little girl argued. "You miss Mummy. I know you do."

"I do not miss her," Eileen replied, grounding it out of her mouth. She then glanced at Aurora before growling. "Fine, I'll help." Pointing a finger at Angel, she said, "This is the only time."

"If you say so, Grandma," Angel responded, smiling.

"This entire thing was your plan, wasn't it? You knew I'd come find you after Albus informed me that you went missing so you could have me fix this."

"Maybe," Angel answered with a guilty smirk.

"Well, at least you were being a Slytherin for once instead of that god-awful impression of a Hufflepuff that you do. No doubt the Hufflepuff comes from your mother," she quipped before glancing at Severus and Aurora. "To age again properly, go to the Astronomy Tower. Allow your emotions to take over, and you'll age again." At the sight of their questioning looks, she growled. "It was anger that got you both in this mess in the first place. It is love that will get you out of it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I am returning to Prince Manor."

"No you're not, Grandma," Angel countered. "You're staying here for Christmas."

"Child, do not test my patience this morning. I am not in the mood for your frivolities."

"Yes you are. I know it." Angel then turned towards them. "You heard Grandma. See you soon."


	10. Dark Love Reaged

**Dark Love Re-aged**

As they slowly made their way to the Astronomy Tower a few moments later, Aurora took fleeting glances towards Severus. He was extremely quiet and rather subdued while he walked beside her. He looked like he was going to a funeral. She wanted to say something to him, but she knew exactly how he'd react. After all, this was her Severus that she knew and loved.

When they reached the observatory, Aurora instantly walked towards the railing and glanced out onto Black Lake. The scenery truly was beautiful. The castle in fact hadn't changed that much over the years. She then felt Severus rather than saw him when he walked up beside her. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that he was also staring out at the lake.

"It's strange, isn't it? To realize that there's a part of your life that you don't know anything about?" she softly said. She knew Severus would be a bit more comfortable if she didn't look at him when speaking, so she made sure she didn't.

"Strange is not the word I would use in this case, Sinistra," he quietly replied.

"You know, it's all right if you don't want to do this. I'd understand."

"I followed you up here, didn't I?" he growled.

"Yes, but I'd understand if you didn't want to return to our life together." Aurora then sighed softly. "I mean, a part of me has always known that you loved her. It's not as if you never made your intentions clear before to me. It's always been her that you loved, not me." She then tried desperately to blink back the tears that formed in her dark eyes before speaking the words that would sting painfully in her chest. She knew that it'd hurt like hell for her, but she'd be willing to do that for him. "So if you want to stay true to her this time, I'd understand, Severus," she choked out softly.

Within mere milliseconds afterwards, he violently latched onto her upper arms and spun her towards him. She couldn't hold back her scream at his actions. However, it didn't go unnoticed to her that he did loosen his grip on her slightly. He still was hurting her, though. Her eyes had locked onto his, allowing her to see the fierce inferno raging in his obsidian eyes. His entire stance screamed his anger. She could see his clenched jaw, his flaring nostrils, and that intense glare that he only ever held for her.

"What? Suddenly, I'm not good enough for you, Sinistra?" he snarled.

"No," she cried. "No it's not that. It's just that I'd understand if you chose her this time."

"You'd understand?" he sneered. He then released her and whirled away from her before walking towards the other side of the observatory. "You'd understand if I chose Lily over you," he repeated mockingly. He then whirled around when he was far enough away from her. "Tell me, Sinistra. Do you always make a habit of sacrificing yourself for me?" he snarled. "Would you take my place so that Potter and his little band of idiots couldn't hex me?" She didn't respond. "Would you step in front of me to prevent my father from beating me?" Again, she didn't respond vocally, but the tears now flowed down her cheeks. "Tell me, Sinistra! Would you jump in front of me to take a Killing Curse meant for me? Would you do that?" he bellowed.

"YES!" she screamed just as loud as he had. "Yes, Circe, yes, I would, Severus," she cried, wrapping her arms around herself protectively. She could tell her response only angered him more.

"Why must every goddamn woman in my life feel the need to protect me?" he roared.

"Because we love you," she yelled back. "Dammit, Severus, don't you get that! We love you!"

"Then perhaps I'd be better off dead," he growled, glaring at her. "My mother tried to protect me from Tobias, and I had believed her to be dead because of it. Lily, oh, my lovely Lily, is now dead after trying for so long to protect me from myself. And what do you want? To add yet another to the list of women in my life I've killed because they _loved_ me!" he bellowed.

"It's always been her that you loved, though. Dammit, Severus, I'm your second choice," she cried. "I know in your heart that you wished you ended up with her instead of me so I'm giving you the choice to choose her this time." She made sure to hold back her scream this time when he painfully latched onto her upper arms again. He shook her fiercely, which she was sure left deep fingerprint bruises where his fingers dug in.

"Obviously, since we have a daughter, I moved on with my life! She made her choice, Sinistra, and it wasn't me that she chose. I have NO claim to her anymore," he snarled, digging his fingers even more into her upper arms. He then yanked her closer to him. "And what makes you believe you were my second choice?" he sneered as he glared daggers. "Do you honestly take me to be like Potter or Black and create a list in my head rating the girls I'd want to be with?" He then shook her again violently so that her teeth nearly rattled together. "WELL, DO YOU?" he roared.

"No," she whimpered as the tears streaked her cheeks.

"Then why must you insist upon your asinine assumption that you're my second choice?" he growled. He then released a deep exhale before releasing his hold on her again. He angrily whirled around and stalked towards the other side before whirling back and returning. "Dammit, Sinistra!" he yelled. "Quit making a spectacle of yourself. You are fine."

"Yes, well, thank you for that wonderful sympathy, Severus," she snapped back. "I'll do just that so I'm not inconveniencing you. Circe forbid, anyone shows their emotions around you," she replied bitterly before angrily wiping the tears from her face. "There, are you happy now?"

"Oh, yes, Sinistra, I'm perfectly peachy now," he drawled sarcastically before throwing his hands up into the air, venting his frustration. Silence then settled amongst them for a few moments.

"You know," she quietly said, leaning against the railing. "The majority of students come up here to snog each other senseless. And here we are snapping at one another," she said before glancing at him. "Then again, since when have we ever been normal, though?"

"My mother had said that it was anger that led us into this mess in the first place."

"Yeah, I caught that." She then sighed. "Severus, I thought your mother was dead."

"As did I," he quietly replied, joining her again. "It seems that a lot of things change in the future." He then brushed back his shoulder-length black hair before sighing. He glanced towards her. "When I regained consciousness, I had thought it was January 9, 1976."

"Your sixteenth birthday," she responded quietly. He nodded slowly. "I thought that too."

"I was to take the Dark Mark this evening. Well, perhaps not this particular evening since it's been . . ." His voice trailed off before he whirled around and glanced out at the lake. "Unfortunately, I am rather certain that I did take the Mark that night."

"How do you know?"

"The girl," he whispered. "She pushed up my left sleeve as if she knew it'd be there."

"Do you think we'll remember any of this after we re-age?"

"Doubtful," he replied with another sigh. "But who knows?"

"Severus," she said very softly. She faintly smiled at him when he glanced towards her. "Before we re-age however that happens, could you perhaps indulge me for a few minutes?" His dark eyes narrowed on her. "Last year, well, you know what I mean," she said, shrugging. "What I'm trying to say is that I wanted to ask you to the dance. I just was too much of a coward to ask at the time."

"So you're asking me now?"

"I guess I am." She then played nervously with the hem of her robes. "I-I mean, you can always say no, but I . . ." She then glanced back up at him. "I always dreamt of dancing with _you_."

"I don't dance, Sinistra."

"You can't honestly believe that when we do get married that I'm going to let you slither away so we don't share the traditional bride and groom dance, can you?"

"I'm not," he started to say before wincing slightly and finishing saying, "very good."

"I'm not going to remember it, Severus. You said it yourself that it's doubtful either of us will remember. Plus, you asked me earlier if I'd take a Killing Curse meant for you, which I said I would. Severus, do you honestly think something like that will make me not love you?"

"We don't have any music," he responded quietly.

"If you want I can hum," she said with a soft smile.

"Dear Merlin, anything but that," he replied, smirking. He then inhaled deeply before holding a hand out to her. However, when she didn't immediately take his hand, he opened his mouth to speak.

"If we're going to do this, we're at least going to do this properly, Severus."

"I wonder if you'll always be so demanding," he said, raising an eyebrow in amusement.

In response, she rolled her eyes before drawing her long silver wand from her black robes. Tapping her shoulder once and reciting a soft Latin incantation, her robes quickly transformed into a short black ruffled dress with thin spaghetti straps that crisscrossed in back. The amulet that consisted of two snakes coiling around a glittering emerald hung loosely around her neck by a black leather cord.

"I take it my robes are not worthy of you, oh, great Lady Sinistra?" he drawled.

"I've always loved you in black, so I'll leave them for now." She quietly laughed when he scoffed. She then quietly stepped closer to him. In fact, she stepped so close that she could smell the cinnamon and various other herbs that she had always associated with him. When she felt him gently place his hands on the small of her back, she smiled and rested her head against his chest. She could hear his heart beating in perfect sync with her own, but then it might also have been her heart beating in sync with his. She then reached her left hand up to place it on his shoulder and rested her right hand against his back. She felt him tense slightly at her touch, but he relaxed not too long afterward.

"Now what?" he whispered. "We still have no music." As if the castle had heard him, soft music slowly started to play from somewhere in the room. He scoffed yet again. "Bloody ghost," he said as he caught the Bloody Baron retreating down the staircase. He, however, sighed heavily before gracefully leading her as they swayed to the tranquil music. It was not long that he felt her completely relax in his arms with a content sigh. He swallowed back the lump that had formed in the back of his throat before bowing his head slightly to rest the side of his head against hers gently. It was so intoxicating to him to be so close to her as he was right then. He knew that whatever his mother had meant before that this was how they would re-age. He definitely felt something close to love for the witch in his arms. He could no longer deny that. Not knowing if it was just the atmosphere or if it was his adolescent hormones finally emerging, he bent his head further towards her and planted a gentle kiss to her cheek. Her head then came up, and she stared at him. "I—"

"Don't apologize, Severus," she said, smiling before gently touching the spot he kissed her.

"I believe that we are close to re-aging," he explained for the lack of having anything better to say to her. He then watched her softly laugh before dragging her teeth against her bottom lip. "What?" Quickly, he felt her try to stand on her tippy-toes, which made him laugh. She was just a few inches short of reaching him. He could see the frustration in her eyes as she realized this. He, however, drew in another calming breath before lowering his head. Their kiss was gentle and not at all what he expected it to be. Much to his surprising disappointment, she was the first to draw away.

"We didn't re-age."

"Yes, I-I had noticed that also," he said, staring down at her. Truthfully, he wasn't sure if he wanted to re-age anymore. He didn't want to let her go. Even though, he knew that he was going to be with her again soon anyway. Like this, he hadn't committed any of the terrible crimes he guessed that he had over his years as the Dark Lord's servant. For the most part, he felt rather innocent still. Granted, he had watched terrible things while training to become a Death Eater, but he couldn't help any of the Dark Lord's victims lest be killed himself.

"Perhaps we need to indulge ourselves further," she said questioningly.

"You-you're fifteen," he replied thickly. Was it getting hot up here or was that just him?

"I'm almost thirty-five, Severus. And it's not like we haven't done it before," she pointed out with that infuriating smirk of hers.

"As adults, not—not like this."

"I won't tell if you don't," she replied, smirking. She then drew fully back from him before glancing towards the black iron staircase near them. Drawing in a deep breath, she calmly whirled around from him and walked away, leaving him there to stare after her.

"Where are you going?" he demanded as he quickly followed after her.

"Well, I am the Astronomy Mistress, Severus," she said, grinning. "I'm sure even you remember the way to the office." She then quickly darted down the few steps to the level just below the observatory. She could hear him following after her, but she continued towards the polished oak door. As soon as she opened it, she turned around and flashed him a lopsided grin. "You're not scared. Are you, Severus?"

"Of you?" he replied with a raised eyebrow. "Ha, as if you could ever scare me, Sinistra," he drawled just as she attempted to shut the door. He quickly grabbed the edge of the door before opening it. The door quietly closed behind him. He allowed himself to glance around before shaking his head. It certainly wasn't the office he _remembered_ during his Hogwarts years.

"Stalking me, are we?" she teased.

"You only wish I was stalking you," he replied, continuing their banter. "Then again, you were always a little funny in the head. Weren't you, Sinistra? Not quite Slytherin, but not quite Gryffindor either," he drawled. He nearly laughed when she pointed her finger at him.

"I'll have you know I come from a very long line of Slytherins, Mister."

"Oh, of course," he said, holding his hands up as he slowly closed the gap between them. "But then again, everyone knows that the Sorting Hat does not always sort families according to tradition. Perhaps it just felt pity on you."

He then smirked when he saw her rich chocolate eyes darken. Merlin, she was beautiful when she was angry. What was it that drew witches who were that beautiful when angered to him? He remembered thinking that same thing whenever he was with Lily. She was always gorgeous when she was glaring at him with those brilliant green eyes of hers. He never thought it possible but he was in love with two very different witches, but somehow he loved them equally.

Walking past her, he then slowly turned around when he was certain that he had put enough distance. Sometimes, he knew her better than he knew himself. He watched her eyes darken even more, if that was even possible, until she pushed him backwards. He didn't even hesitate for a moment as he fell back onto the couch. However, he did nearly laugh when her eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh, Circe, are you all right?" she asked, rushing towards him. "I didn't—" However, he gently yanked her down onto the couch with him, effectively cutting her off. "Severus?" she asked clearly puzzled by his behavior as she came to rest on top of him.

"You didn't honestly think you're stronger than me. Did you, Sinistra?" he replied with a smirk.

"I thought I was too young for you," she retorted.

"For that yes, for this no," he responded, encircling his arms around her waist gently. "You don't have any objections. Do you?"

"Hell no," she exclaimed, grinning before resting her head back on his chest. "I am kind of tired now that you mention it," she said, yawning. She then glanced up and noticed him doing the same, which made her laugh softly. "I feel safe in your arms, Severus," she said, nestling herself into him.

"That much is apparent," he drawled, glancing down at her. "Now, hush, before I have to cast a sleeping charm on you." He extended his hand and summoned wordlessly a blanket from the end of the couch to drape over them. It didn't take too long for them to fall asleep in one another's arms.

~Family~

Neither of the sleeping occupants heard the door creak open. Nor did they hear the footsteps heading towards them. However, they both heard the loud gasp followed by yelling, which startled them both awake instantly.

"Aurora Sinistra!" a loud female voice screamed.

Aurora's eyes flew open to dark orbs staring at her, clearly amused and upset at the same time. She knew that it wasn't Severus who had screamed so she slowly glanced to her left. However, two things hit her before she met the glaring deep blue eyes. One, she was in her office for some strange reason with Severus on her couch in his arms with no idea how they got there since the last thing she remembered they were arguing in their rooms. And, two, she wasn't wearing any clothes. Luckily, there was a blanket draped around them.

"Mum," Aurora said with a slight quiver in her voice. This wasn't the way she pictured her Christmas morning or even how she envisioned her mother meeting Severus. She then noticed the other occupants in the room that were trying their very best to blend in with the decor. She grimaced before glancing back at Severus. She allowed her head to hit back onto his chest. "Save me," she whispered.

"I doubt it'd help at this point," he replied quietly.

"Perhaps it'd be best if we allowed them a few minutes alone," a familiar voice spoke up.

"Oh, I'll give them more than that, Albus. Not a word, Orin," Aurora's mother growled before briskly walking out of her daughter's office.

"Well, if you'll excuse me," Aurora's father said quietly, clearing his throat. "Happy you're back, Aura, and, um, never mind." His footsteps receding then echoed throughout the room.

"I shall ask the house elves to bring you both up some clothing to change into at once. However, before I leave, I'd like to inform you both that the lack of dress you are in is not due to an impropriety on your parts. There was a slight accident in your labs this morning, which deaged you both. It appears that the re-aging part, well, I am sure you both can figure it out for yourselves. Might I be the first to say 'Happy Christmas? Well, I shall see myself out." The door quietly closed behind Albus.

"Oh," Aurora groaned, burying her face into Severus's chest even more. She could feel her cheeks burning from the embarrassment. She couldn't understand how Severus could be so calm.

"Perhaps we should do as Albus suggested, Aurora?"

"I'd rather die," she mumbled against his chest.

"It's not as bad as it could have been," he responded, lightly rubbing her back. "It could have been my mother who found us like this." When he heard her groan even louder, he brushed back her long curly hair lovingly. "Aurora, avoiding your problems will not solve anything."

"So you told me this morning in our quarters," she mumbled back. "And now look where we are, Severus. I'm lying on top of you covered only by a blanket, and both of my parents just saw us."

"While I would not normally admit this, all in all this has been a fairly good Christmas so far. That is if you don't take into consideration about your parents finding us to be in our current state." He then sighed. "However, there are always worse places to wake up." When she lifted her head up and gazed into his eyes, he smirked softly. "Perhaps I'm just in the festive mood this morning or afternoon or whatever time it is. Though, I doubt your mother will be if we keep her waiting any longer."

"Fine," Aurora grumbled before rolling off him and stepping onto the cold floor with the blanket firmly held against her. She walked to the neatly folded clothes atop of her desk, only to shriek when a black shirt and trousers suddenly flew at her.

"You have the blanket, Aurora. And we both know it is dangerous for us to be in this state," his voice floated towards her. "Certain things might happen." She shivered as she thought of these 'things'.


	11. Meeting the In laws

**Meeting the In-laws**

"Must you continue grinning like that, Sinistra? You look like an idiot," Severus drawled as he walked beside her a few minutes later down the staircase.

"I'm just thinking, Severus. Is that a crime?"

"It is when you're screaming your bloody thoughts at me," he replied before growling.

"Am I giving you a headache? Because I'm sorry if I am," she said, clearly not sorry one bit.

"It's not the headache that is upsetting me," he responded with a forced exhale. He then glanced at her. "Perhaps you are not noticing what your thoughts concern, but I can quite clearly. Please cease in your current line of thinking immediately."

"You know, Severus, if you weren't using your Legilimency on me all the time—"

"What makes you believe that I am? Your entire body is screaming it. Even Potter's not as obvious as you are being right now with me." He then shook his head slowly before sighing. "There is only one option that I foresee in resolving this problem of ours."

"Oh, and what's that?" Aurora replied with a lopsided grin. She could tell through years of experience that he wasn't really angry with her. It was mostly frustration that had built up in him, which only made her want to grin even more. They obviously still had that same raging inferno that they had since day one of their relationship. She hoped it remained after they married. Then again, fighting always did help oddly enough.

"You and I are completing that damn ritual tonight," he growled. "I don't care if the damn thing is unsettling for both of us. I am not going to listen to another of your fantasies concerning me without being able to . . ." His voice then trailed off before he growled again under his breath and stopped.

"Severus, are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"You are making it very difficult for me to concentrate, woman! Do you understand that?" he asked, staring at her. "Concentration is the key to my very essence, and you are ruining it with your wicked thoughts. No matter how creative you are being, you are still ruining my ability to focus, which is a very dangerous thing to do."

"Dangerous, Severus?" she repeated, smirking. "We're only walking. It's not as if you're brewing or anything. What's the worst that could happen?" She immediately let out a soft shriek of surprise when he instantly leapt towards her, making her back against the wall. His hands were on either side of her, preventing her from escaping him.

"The worst thing, you wish to know what the worst thing that could happen is?" he asked, panting heavily. "You are bypassing every single Occlumency barrier I have, and I don't know how. I try desperately to think of something else, but it doesn't help. I want—no—I _need_ more of you. Hell, your scent is even intoxicating to me now, Aurora. What is the worst thing that could happen?" His eyes darkened slightly, but it wasn't out of anger. In fact, it was quite the opposite. "Your thoughts, however impure they are, do not even come close to what I want to do to you right now."

Aurora bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing. She then gently rested her hands on his shoulders, which relaxed him slightly. She stared back at him lovingly before kissing his cheek.

"Severus, have you been reading my book again?" she asked seriously.

"Have I been reading _your_ book?" he repeated, snarling.

"Yes, Marius said the same thing to his lover before he bit her."

"You're—oh dear Merlin, woman," he snapped before angrily backing away from her. "No. I have not even touched your stupid book, and as if I would ever quote anything a Muggle author wrote."

"You quote Shakespeare occasionally. In fact, I've even heard you rant and rave about it."

"That's different."

"Oh, come on. It's the same damn thing, Severus. Shakespeare was the first ever romance author, and you can't dispute that." Aurora then watched him pinch the bridge of his nose before shaking his head. He appeared to be calmer again, which was disappointing. She liked the sexy brooding Severus who had her backed against the wall a minute ago. Then again, she loved the tall, dark, and handsome type, especially when the wizard's name was Severus Snape. What could she say? She had a thing for bad boy wizards. Every one of her ex-boyfriends clearly fit that category.

"Let's go," he said in worn out voice before walking away from her.

"What? Now you're mad at me?" she said, scoffing in disbelief while following him.

"No. Unlike you, I'd like to make a good impression on your family."

"Yeah, good luck with that," she drawled, walking away from him.

A few moments later, a masculine voice spoke before her dad walked from behind the corner.

"Dad," she instantly said, grinning. Being irrational for a split second, she threw her arms around him and hugged him. "I missed you."

"Uh-huh," he drawled. He then pulled back from her and glanced towards Severus. "Well, introduce us, Aura. After all, the only thing I know about him is that you two are dating."

"Sorry, um, Severus, this is my father." She nearly laughed when she watched him hold his hand out towards her dad. He had to be her first lover who ever shook her father's hand.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Sinistra," Severus said coolly. "I regret how you found—"

"Eh, Albus already explained this to us. It's old news now. Plus, I'm not one of those naïve fathers, believing that my daughter hasn't already lost her innocence. She's an adult now, so she can do whatever she wants now in my eyes. And call me Orin," he replied with a neutral expression.

"As you wish," Severus responded, withdrawing his hand from the new wizard.

"So, what did you do? Wait, let me guess, Azkaban?"

"Dad," Aurora said, gritting her teeth. She so didn't need her father grilling Severus like this.

"Aura, don't even try to tell me you fell for a good wizard this time. Even I'm not that gullible."

"I was in Azkaban for a day, yes," answered Severus. "I served the Dark Lord willingly for a time. However, I—"

"You don't need to explain, Severus," Orin replied, interrupting softly. His dark eyes then glanced towards his daughter before returning to the wizard in front of him. "We all make mistakes that are sometimes more painful than others. I can see by your stance, though, that you regret that time so no need to explain yourself to me. So, what are your intentions with my daughter?"

"I wish to marry your daughter tonight, sir," Severus responded, not missing a beat.

"Fair enough," Orin replied with a soft smile. "Well, inform me about your lineage then."

"My mother is Eileen Prince, and—"

"Prince!" exclaimed Orin before glancing towards his daughter. "You're with a Prince, Aura?"

"Unlike you, Dad, I don't think of such things," she drawled, crossing her arms defensively.

"You're of a very strong line. You know that, son?"

"I am aware, yes," Severus responded quietly. "However, I doubt my ancestors would ever claim me as being of the line."

"Why's that?"

"My mother married a Muggle."

"Ah, I see." Orin then grimaced and lowered his head slightly. He then glanced up and locked eyes with Severus. "Well, it makes no difference in my eyes what your blood status is. My wife, on the other hand, is a much different story. She comes from a different era than I. No doubt Aura informed you that Syra had her heart set on our eldest marrying a pureblood Slytherin."

"She informed me of it, yes. I am, however, a Slytherin, though."

"Yes, he is, Dad," Aurora replied, walking up beside Severus and grabbing his hand. She felt him tense up slightly before he relaxed again. "He's the Head of Slytherin actually."

"Well, that might earn some pointers with Syra."

"Frankly, Dad, I don't give a damn what she thinks. I love Severus, and I'm going to marry him over her dead body. She is just going to have to deal with it."

"Deal with it?" a voice suddenly hissed. A few moments later, a witch in midnight blue robes with long curly golden blond hair stepped out of the shadows. Her deep blue eyes glared from her daughter onto Severus. "You wish me to deal with you marrying him?" she harshly snapped. "For years now, I have made my expectations very clear. Three conditions I asked you to meet, only three. Here you are, though, Aurora, blatantly disobeying me by being with this man. I am not blind. I see that you truly do love him. I even understand that you met the requirement with him being a Slytherin. However, the most important requirement of all, him being a pureblood, you deliberately flout back in my face. Do you think I am that much of a hag that I'd not wish my daughter to be with the man she loves?"

"If you truly were a good person, Mother, then you'd stop being so damn prejudicial and be happy for me. I love Severus, and unless you give me a damn good reason—"

"You will kill him if you marry him," Syra flatly replied. "You will be drawn to the Muggle in his blood, and you will kill him."

"Now you're just grasping at straws, Mother," Aurora replied, shaking her head in disbelief. "I assure you that I won't kill Severus, but I can't assure the same thing concerning you."

"Perhaps we should go somewhere more private, Syra?" Orin quietly interrupted. He shared a brief look with his wife before she nodded. Quietly, Orin and Syra turned around and walked towards their temporary quarters while Severus and Aurora followed silently. A few moments later, they all walked into the medium-sized rooms before walking towards the furniture. Syra and Orin sat on a sofa together as Aurora sat in an armchair opposite of her parents. Severus stood behind her in his familiar stance. "All right, well, like I said before to Severus, Aura, it doesn't make any difference to me what his blood status is. He could be a squib for all I care. I just want you to be happy and live a long life with the man you love. I can see Severus wants that too. However, I'm with your mother, though, Aura. It is dangerous for you to marry him."

"Dangerous?" Aurora replied, scoffing. "You both keep acting like I'm just going to wake up one day and kill Severus." She then shook her head. "Dad, it's not like Severus can't protect himself from me anyway. And I won't ever hurt him."

"You don't understand, Aura." Orin then glanced towards his wife. "I know you wanted to inform her in private, but I think they both need to hear it, Syra."

"It is not his secret to learn."

"It affects him too, Syra," Orin replied. When her eyes narrowed into slits, he continued. "He also wishes to marry our daughter tonight."

"You wish to marry her?" Syra quietly said with an indescribable look on her face.

"Yes, he does, and I'm marrying him. Do you know why, Mother?" She didn't allow Syra to respond, though. "Because I love him and want nothing more than to tie my life with his."

"I know you do, Aurora," Syra started to say.

"I'm not finished, Mother," she growled. "I also want to marry him so that our daughter has a little brother or sister."

"Daughter?" cried Syra. "You have a-a child together?"

"Is that so shocking, Mother?"

"Oh, Aura," Syra whispered, covering her mouth to stifle her sobs. "We-we have to take her to the Hospital Wing now. Please do not question me, Aurora. We must take care of her first."

"Trust me. Angel is perfectly fine, Mother."

"No. No, you must understand," Syra replied, latching onto her daughter's arm. "We have to make sure she doesn't have it. We have to make sure she's not going to get sick."

"You mean like I will, right?" Aurora snapped. "That's what you're here to tell me, isn't it? That I'm supposedly going to get really sick?" she drawled. "Save it, Mother. Your granddaughter already informed me all about it."

"Then you understand that I'm doing this for you, Aurora, not to hurt you. If there was a way, my Aura, I would surely allow you to be with him." Syra then glanced towards Severus. "Please. We must check on her."

"No. I'm not putting my daughter through any of your kooky thoughts, Mother. She's fine." A knock to the door, however, interrupted everyone. "Were you expecting company? Or did you try to set me up with another of London's most eligible bachelors again?"

"No," Orin replied before walking towards the door. He waved his hand towards it to open it. "May I help you ladies?" he asked a dark-haired witch in her late fifties who had a young blond girl about six walking into the rooms next to her.

"Forgive my intrusion, but I—" the dark-haired woman started to say.

"Hello, Grandpa," the young girl interrupted with a wide beaming grin.

"Yes, well, I believe you understand now." The witch then bent down in front of the young girl. "One of these days, you and I are going to have a serious talk about using your gifts like this, Child."

"I know. I know," the young girl sighed. "I'm sorry, Grandma."

"Wait," Orin spoke up, addressing the older woman. "You're not Eileen Prince, are you?"

"I am. I take it you are Aurora's father." He nodded instantly. "Well, it is a pleasure to meet you. However, I must take my leave immediately."

"So you can slither back to your little hole?" a voice hissed.

"Oh, lovely, if it isn't the local night walker herself," Eileen drawled. Glancing at the one witch that she hated more than she hated her future daughter-in-law, she sighed heavily as Syra gracefully sauntered towards her. She should've guessed this in hindsight. It certainly made much more sense why she disliked Aurora now.

"No doubt you thought it was a perfect idea for your son to marry my daughter."

"Oh, yes, I'm absolutely _thrilled_ for them. After all, your daughter was the one who sunk her nails into my son, but I guess it's better than her teeth. Now isn't it, Syra?"

"I see you haven't lost your wicked sense of humor throughout the years."

"You'd be surprised what I haven't lost." Eileen then glanced towards her future daughter-in-law who was looking between both witches with a look of pure confusion. "You haven't told her yet? What are you waiting for, Syra? I would have thought you'd be thrilled to tell her of her true lineage."

"Tell me what?" Aurora asked.

"Unlike you, I'm more concerned about my granddaughter presently."

"Oh, there's no need for that," Eileen replied with a thin smile. "_Our_ granddaughter takes after _my_ side of the family in terms of blood. _I_ made sure of that, Syra."

"She doesn't carry the—"

"No. Sorry to disappoint, Syra."

"What the hell is going on, Mother? What are you two talking about?"

"Your mother's a bloodsucking witch who is a direct descendent of Salazar Slytherin," Eileen answered coolly, cutting Syra off before she could even start. She then inhaled deeply before glancing towards her son. She could see the extreme disapproval in his eyes, but she didn't really care.

"My mother's a what? Of all the—"

"Unfortunately, she's telling you the truth, Aurora," Syra softly said. "I became dreadfully ill. Everyone believed me to be on my deathbed, including myself. Your grandmother, however, returned and secretly helped me to complete the transformation. You see, we carry a gene in our DNA that at a certain age activates. For me, it was when I was thirty-four. When it does, we become very ill until we nourish ourselves. It is not uncontrollable afterwards, though."

"But I always thought vampires turned humans, not some stupid gene doing it."

"Yes, well, Muggles are rarely ever right in their theories." She then gently laid a comforting hand on her daughter's arm. "Aurora, this is why I do not want you to marry him. Once the change occurs, your ability to control yourself with him will vanish entirely. You will focus only on his smell and desire the taste of him because of the Muggle in his blood. The urges are easier to control if he is a pureblood, but they will be unbearable if you marry him."

"Are you saying that someday I might be teaching and out of the blue drink a student's blood?"

"No. No, it's nothing like that, my dear. Once you marry, it automatically recognizes the union between you and your husband. It will only be him that you desire. However, marrying Severus is dangerous because of the Muggle in his blood."

While Syra and Aurora talked, Angel slowly walked up to her father. She gently tugged on his trousers, which gained his attention instantly. He silently leaned down and picked her up. Truthfully, he wasn't sure what to make out of this entire situation. It was rather disconcerting, after all, to learn that the woman he loved would turn into a vampire, a creature that most of the Wizarding World still considered to be dark, including him. However, he was rather glad to hear that his mother had ensured that his daughter would not turn.

"Daddy," Angel whispered in his ear. He inclined his head more to her, but said nothing. "I've got something for you." She then reached into her small robes and pulled a thin vial out. "Harry, Draco, and I went looking for it this morning."

"Thank you, my Angel," he replied with a faint smile on his lips, grabbing the vial. "What is it?"

"It's so you and Mummy can get married without having to worry," she whispered in his ear. She then grinned when she caught his jerk reaction to her words. "Don't be mad because we did tell Grandma and Grandpa where we were going, but we went down to Great Grandpa's labs. Draco was the one who actually found it, though, but only because Harry was holding my hand because I got scared down there. It's really creepy down there. Have you ever been down there?"

"You went down to the—remind me when we get back to the rooms to ground all of you," he drawled, shaking his head. That was just the thing he needed to hear that they all were down in the Chamber of Secrets to find some vial for him.

"It's okay. We already know. Grandma, not my real grandmas, but Grandma Minerva told us that we aren't allowed to go anywhere now without an adult. Draco and Harry said something about it, um, camping their style. Daddy, what do they mean by that?"

"I think you mean cramping their style, Angel," he whispered back with a soft laugh. "And it means that they're not happy with their punishment. Were they listening to her?"

"Yep, they were, Daddy. They were playing Wizard's chess when I saw them last. Draco was winning, but I think that's because Harry wants to open his presents." She then nuzzled into his neck slightly. "I might have told him that he's getting something that he always wanted, but I didn't tell him that it's because you signed the adopt papers, though, Daddy. Am I still your little angel?"

"No, but I love you anyway," he replied with a soft smirk. He then gently pulled her back to look in her eyes. "Angel, you said this would make it so we wouldn't have to worry. What did you mean by that? What is it going to do?" He knew asking his six-year-old probably wasn't the wise thing to do, but she was a very smart little girl, though, with that Elder knowledge crammed into her head.

"Great Grandpa wanted to find a way to clean the blood of his students because he was afraid that Great Grandma might try to kill them someday. So he made this, but he never got a chance to use it because he got into a fight and had to leave. It's supposed to clean your blood, so that you're pure like Mummy like Grandma Syra wants." She watched him glance at the vial before glancing back at her. "I won't tell if you don't, Daddy," she said just as he uncorked the vial in his hand and drank it.


	12. Long Awaited Talk

**Long-Awaited Talk**

The first thing he noticed as he slowly regained consciousness was the roaring sound in his ears. It was nearly deafening to listen to it. He tried to open his eyes to ascertain where he was, but found that he was unable to do that. The familiar sterile scent hung in the air, so he knew he had to be in Hospital Wing. His face felt warm too, which made him guess that he was underneath one of the massive windows. Drawing in a steady breath, he relaxed as the roaring sound slowly retreated with the breath of fresh air. He then tried again to open his eyes, which he succeeded in after a few moments.

The long blond curls attached to the sleeping little girl on his chest made him smirk. His eyes darted around to see if he could find Aurora, but he didn't. In fact, he only saw Angel and himself in the Hospital Wing. He brought his hand slowly towards his daughter and gently pushed back her curls to look at her face. When her head soon came up, he smiled at her. She must've been sleeping rather well because she was blinking at him owlishly. His eyes then noticed her left arm.

"What happened here?" he asked, softly pointing at the wrap that surrounded her small arm. His eyes narrowed slightly on his little girl when she grinned widely at him. He couldn't see what she'd be smiling about with her being injured. He knew he wasn't happy about it.

"Madam Pomfrey says I broke my shoulder bone, both bones in my arm, a bone in my wrist, and my hand," she responded happily. She then tilted her head slightly when he clenched his teeth. "Daddy, it's okay," she said, gently resting her good hand against his chest. "She said that as long as I didn't whack it against anything or move it too much that I'd be as good as new." Her eyes then lit up with excitement before she bounced atop of him slightly as her news burst out of her. "Oh, and Grandpa gave me TWO chocolate frogs, TWO, Daddy, for not squirming when Madam Pomfrey healed me. He said I was a good little girl, and then you know what he gave me, Daddy?"

"Undoubtedly more sugar I'd say," Snape drawled as he gently wrapped an arm around her so she didn't fall off him accidently with all her bouncing and squirming she was doing on him.

"He gave me a lollipop that was this big," she said before spreading out her arms. However, she instantly cried out sharply before grabbing her left arm. "That was stupid," she said, sniffling slightly.

"Yes, it was," he replied back before kissing her forehead gently. "I still love you, though, Angel." He then watched her angrily wipe the small tears from her eyes before she smiled softly. "Why did Grandpa give you a lollipop?"

"Because I didn't cry when she cracked my bones," Angel quietly said, still sniffling.

"You didn't cry?" She nodded proudly, which made him sigh. He needed to fix this thought of hers before she turned it into a habit. He should have known that she'd take after him. He then brushed back another curl before gently cupping her chin so she stared directly at him. "Listen to me, my Angel. It's all right to cry. Daddy has even cried a few times when Madam Pomfrey's healed him."

"You have?" she asked with big brown eyes. "But I thought nothing could hurt you, Daddy, because you're big and strong and can scare anything."

"Yes, well, Madam Pomfrey is one witch that even Daddy can't scare," he replied before pressing a kiss to her forehead again. "But, Angel, listen to me. There's no reason to feel ashamed or embarrassed if you cry. No one's going to think any differently of you, and if they do, then I'll find them and scare them." He quietly chuckled when she giggled softly before she kissed his cheek.

"I love you, Daddy."

"I know," he replied with a soft smirk. "Where's your mother at?"

"She's still fighting with your mummy and her mummy and now Grandma. They're not very happy with you, Daddy. None of them is, but most specially Mummy. They were here a few hours ago, but Madam Pomfrey kicked them out, saying that this is a Hosp petal Wing not a Quit itch pitch."

He tried to hold back his chuckle. However, it slowly bubbled out of him. His chest shook gently as he chuckled at his little girl's words. He didn't usually laugh so much before, but she was so cute sometimes that he couldn't help it. Even with all the vast knowledge of the Elders in her, she still was his little girl who was a bit too cute at times.

"Good afternoon, Severus," Albus quietly said as he walked up to them. His blue eyes twinkled madly when he noticed Severus chuckling. "Has my granddaughter informed you of all my misdeeds while you were unavailable?"

"Oh, yes, she told me all about the _two_ chocolate frogs and the lollipop that was this big," Snape replied, holding his hands a few feet apart.

"No, no, Daddy, it was this big," said Angel, spreading his arm out even farther.

"My apologies, this big," he responded with a chuckle. His eyes then glanced towards his mentor. "Perhaps it would be best if you didn't give my daughter so many sweets, Albus." He watched the older wizard incline his head slightly. "Well, did it work?"

"Oh, yes, it worked," said Albus thoughtfully. His blue eyes then briefly flickered over to Angel before resting back on Snape. Albus sighed softly. "The potion appears to have infused raw magic into the genes you received from your father. It altered the genes in such a way that it appears as if your father was in fact a wizard."

"How is that possible, Albus?"

"Well, I'm not sure if I know the exact details, Severus. However, from what I've gathered so far, magic from the potion infused with the genes you inherited from your father, causing a genetic mutation to result."

Holding his hand out slightly, Snape summoned a mirror. He stared at his reflection and noticed immediately that he didn't look any different. His raven hair was still shoulder length and had that healthy shine to it. As always, his eyes were black as night. His nose was still long and hooked. His face was even still pale, except for a dark bruise above his eyebrow. The mirror quickly vanished, and he glanced back to Albus.

"I am also shocked that it didn't change your appearance. I had thought that'd be a possibility with the mutation. However, it seems as if the raw magic that he infused into it was somewhat controlled by another of the ingredients. I am unsure of which one, though."

"Then I'm a pureblood?" quietly Snape asked. When he watched Albus nod, he deeply inhaled. It was what he had always wanted to be. At one point in his life, he gave himself the nickname of the half-blood Prince, honoring the magic he received from his mother. However, he would have given anything to be the pureblood Prince.

"I would not be so happy if I were you," Albus softly spoke. "I am under the impression that Aurora is quite upset with you for doing this."

"She has no reason to be angry with me, Albus."

"No? You do not see a reason for her being upset that you would not trust her judgment?"

"Albus, I trust her."

"She was willing to marry you and overlook the risk, Severus."

"She can still marry me, Albus. Risk just isn't involved anymore."

"My boy, she—"

"You're going to reiterate to me yet again that love conquers all, aren't you? I would think by now, Albus, you would understand that I have not had that much experience with love throughout my life. It is not in my nature to believe that fallacy of love conquering all. Love did not conquer Tobias and stop him from beating me. Love did not conquer the Dark Lord and stop him from murdering Lily. Love truly did not conquer the Shadow when it attacked me and left me defenseless. How then am I to believe that Aurora's love for me would conquer that disease in her? All of you were asking me to take a leap of faith, and I've taken so many of those throughout my life. Too many times, I ended up on my face. Too many times, I lost everything that I held dear to my heart. I will not lose her, Albus. I will NOT lose yet another woman that I love because of that erroneous belief, love conquers all," he growled.

"Severus—"

"Over the years, Albus, I have learned that love conquers nothing. Determination, however, does. My choice to take that potion was, yes, out of love, but it was more out of determination of finally having a life where I can truly be happy." He then glanced down at the little girl in his arms. "Twenty years ago if someone had told me that I'd have a daughter and a soon-to-be wife, I'd have laughed. For so long, I only wanted one thing." He then glanced up and caught the wizard's eyes. His mouth was dry, but he forced himself to continue. "If you had not manipulated me to protect Harry, I'd have had that one thing too." Glancing back at his daughter who was staring at him with her big brown eyes, he choked back his emotions. "And I-I would've missed out on all this," he said with a slight falter.

"Severus, your love for Lily conquered your wish for death. You cannot deny that."

"But my determination to make things right again was what finished everything," he replied.

"I believe an Elder was what finished everything, Severus," a soft voice spoke behind Albus.

"Aurora," Snape quietly said as he watched her slowly approach his bedside.

"Angel, sweetheart, can you go with Grandpa to the dungeons while Mummy and Daddy talk?"

"Mummy, please don't be mad with him. It was my idea."

"Somehow, darling, I doubt that," Aurora drawled. "But I promise not to hex your Daddy until after he's feeling better and can cast a shield."

"I love you, Daddy." Angel then kissed his cheek. "Just be good, and Mummy won't hex you," she whispered in his ear before hopping down and slowly walking away with Albus.

"It was not that I didn't believe you, Aurora."

"I know," she responded quietly before sitting on the edge of his cot. "You just didn't want to lose yet another woman you loved," she said, repeating his words verbatim. "A part of me should be happy, knowing that you're a pureblood now. However, there's that bigger part of me that just isn't." She then gently grabbed his hand. "I didn't want you to change who you were for me."

"I didn't do this for you. I did it for us and perhaps for me." He rubbed his thumb against the back of her hand. "I've always wanted to be a pureblood. You needed me to be one. It was a strategic move, Aurora. You didn't tell me to change. You didn't make me change. I chose. I chose to drink it so that I could get what I want." He slowly sat up before tenderly resting a hand on her neck. "Do you know what that is, Aurora?"

"To be a pureblood because you've always been ashamed of whom you are," she answered.

"No. I mean, yes, I did want to be that, but my main reason is so that I may be your husband."

"We could have made this work, Severus, without you taking that potion."

"Yes, we probably could have. However, for the first time in my life, I wanted to play it safe. I cannot just think about myself anymore. I have to think about what's best for us, all of us. And taking that potion is what's best for all of us, Aurora. You told your mother that you wanted Angel to have a little brother or sister. If you truly will become what she claims, then we would have had an issue. This way at least I won't have to worry about losing you to some pureblood Slytherin."

"No. You just have to deal with me biting you."

"It isn't the first time you've done that to me, Aurora. Perhaps you've forgotten your fourth year of teaching here."

"That was different, Severus."

"You still bit me, though." He then gently kissed her before resting his forehead against hers. "I still want to marry you, Aurora. Does the same go for you?"

"Of course I still want to marry you," she replied with a slight huff. "But I know how you react with Remus. Are you going to look at me like that? Because there's not that much difference between a werewolf and vampire," she said.

"There is a very big difference between a vampire and a werewolf, Aurora."

"No. Really, Severus, there isn't. Remus can't help what he is, and neither can I. There's no cure for lycanthropy, and there's definitely no cure for vampirism. Well, there is one cure, death."

"Aurora . . ."

"I don't want to become a monster. I don't want you to think of me like that."

"I won't."

"How can you not, though? All throughout school, they taught us that vampires were truly dark creatures. How can you not think that, Severus?"

"Because I know you," he responded, staring deep into her eyes. "And for all intensive purposes, your mother doesn't seem evil or dark. She cared very deeply about our daughter, someone she's never even met. She could have just kept it to herself and just informed you about the nature of your sickness, but she didn't. When she learned of Angel, her first thoughts were fear for our daughter and us. And it wouldn't be the first time something we learned proved to be incorrect." He then sighed. "My dislike for Lupin stems mostly from my hatred of the Marauders. It is not in response to him being a werewolf. While I will admit that a part of me is weary of him, you are correct in stating he cannot help it."

"So you'll still love me even though I'll be a walking corpse that drinks your blood?"

"Aurora, the students of this castle for years have believed me to be a vampire. It'd be nice to scare the little dunderheads."

"Mum says that I can't turn you. In fact, according to my mother, my grandmother, says we're different from true vampires because Syrene, my grandmother, tried once to become human again."

"Did it work?"

"Not the way she intended, but in a way it did. She could control herself around witches and wizards without feeling the urge to slaughter everyone all the time. She actually spent some time with Merlin in the hopes to become truly human." At his puzzled look, she continued. "Well, you know how I'm a hopeless romantic?" He nodded slowly. "It seems that I get that from my grandmother. She fell in love with a Muggle. However, whenever they were together, she felt the urge to kill him. So, she decided to leave him and search for a cure so that they could be together."

"She never found it, though," he quietly said.

"Yeah, but that didn't mean that she couldn't keep trying to find her cure. I don't know if I believe this at all, but my mother says that Syrene met Salazar Slytherin and they had a sordid love affair one night. According to Mum, he's my grandfather, but that's just beyond absurd, though."

"Perhaps not," Snape responded. "It is strange. I will give you that, but so is the fact that we have a six-year-old daughter that has the infinite knowledge of the Elders in her." He then glanced at the Slytherin amulet around her neck. "However, you do wear the Amulet of Slytherin."

"But Slytherin had a locket, though. We all know that."

"If you are from an unknown line, then perhaps it makes sense that others do not know about it."

"Severus," Aurora said, shaking her head slowly.

"When I touched your amulet last August, it said blood of Prince and blood of Slytherin. I'm obviously the Prince, which would make you the Slytherin, Aurora. We must not forget that Syrene was a vampire. She could've easily brewed Living Death to keep the bloodlines secret."

"So you think that my mother's story is plausible then?"

"I wouldn't rule it out, no," he replied with a sigh. "Aurora, I do still wish to marry you tonight."

"Severus, do you realize how much preparation goes into a wedding? I doubt we have time."

"Your parents are here, as is my mother," he pointed out.

"I don't have a wedding dress, Severus."

"You are a witch, though, Aurora. But if you think that you can't transfigure a dress, I'm certain that Minerva would be glad to help you."

"Where would we even get married?"

"The Great Hall," he responded immediately.

"Who would officiate?" she asked, folding her arms as if challenging him to answer.

"Albus could pull strings. After all, he owes me several hundred favors over the years."

"The only reason you want to marry me is because of our wedding night."

"Perhaps," he drawled softly.

"We can't get married tonight, Severus, but tomorrow is a possibility." His eyes narrowed. "Well, it is bad luck to see the bride on her wedding day, Severus. Surely you know that." She then softly laughed. "We also have some rituals to complete before we can get married. Plus, my dad's old-fashioned. You're going to have to ask him for my hand. Otherwise, he'll make our lives a living hell. Then there is also the fact that it's Christmas, and you and I have yet to see our _other_ children."

"Did Minerva tell you what those two idiots did?"

"They went down with our daughter to the Chamber of Secrets to find you that stupid potion. I spoke with Poppy earlier, and she said that you're free to go whenever you're ready."

"Then perhaps we should head down to the dungeons and speak with my godson and . . ."

"Son," she finished. "You can say it, Severus. I know you signed the papers and finalized Harry's adoption. I think Lily would've liked to know that you considered her son as your own."

"I must say that I'm amazed that Black didn't protest the adoption. I was sure he would."

"Maybe Sirius understood that you weren't doing it to fill Harry's mind of horrible James stories, but that you were doing it out of love. Come on, Severus. Let's go see our meddlesome boys."


	13. Christmas with the Family

**Christmas with the Family**

Sure enough, Harry and Draco were sitting at the island, playing a game of Wizard's chess in their quarters. They looked positively bored out of their mind. However, when they caught Snape's entrance, both young men instantly hung their heads in shame. They obviously knew what was coming. Snape said nothing, though.

Instead, he glanced around his sitting room. A large tree decorated with numerous green and silver ornaments stood tall in the corner by the bookcases. Presents littered the floor underneath the evergreen's wide lush branches. Someone had decorated his quarters with Christmas items. When he saw the holly, the mistletoe, and the garland all throughout the room, he kept his face neutral. Dark eyes identical to his own were watching him after all.

"It's beautiful," Aurora whispered next to him.

Snape tended to agree with his wife on that. It certainly was beautiful to look at, but that didn't mean he was content about the unauthorized decoration of his quarters. Some things had to be off-limits, and he'd hope people knew his quarters were one of the things. When he glanced towards his little girl, he sighed. She was staring at him with that familiar look from the sofa. He sighed heavily in response. He was starting to become a pushover, and that scared him. For now, he'd let Harry and Draco off the hook. Christmas was supposed to be a happy time, not a time for families to fight.

"Perhaps you two could join us?" Snape quietly spoke. He caught their surprise instantly. "It is only in the interest in Christmas that I'm temporarily forgoing your punishments for you idiotic behavior." Both young men nodded. He then glanced towards the Christmas tree. It didn't really seem at all like him, but he knew both had their share of horrific Christmases. He only motioned with his hand that it was acceptable for them to start opening their presents. He quietly took a seat in his armchair and watched them. Angel, however, didn't move from the sofa. "You may also join them." She softly smiled back at him, but still refused to move.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Aurora softly asked, scooping the little girl up into her arms. "Daddy told you it was all right for you to open presents with Harry and Draco."

"I know, Mummy," Angel replied, leaning her head against Aurora's shoulder.

"Do you not feel well?" The little girl nodded slowly. "Oh, sweetheart, that's because Grandpa gave you too much candy." A few seconds later, Aurora silently took the Calming Draught Severus offered and gave it to their daughter. "Drink it up, sweetheart. It'll make you all better." She smiled softly when Angel followed her directions. "Do you feel better?" The little girl instantly nodded. "Well, go on then. Go join Harry and Draco."

Joining Severus by sitting on the edge of his armrest, Aurora watched her children. Draco had entered her family first with the death of his parents. She knew the Slytherin kept most of his family's secrets well hidden. It was after all the trademark of a true Slytherin, the ability to hide secrets. However, it didn't leave much to the imagination what secrets the Slytherin hid. She could tell with the way he acted with the rest of their family that he wasn't necessarily used to the subtleties of a real family. He still seemed to shy away when she'd hug him in her usual maternal way. He wasn't tensing anymore, which definitely made her feel better. He was at least starting to trust her.

Angel then came into the world in the most bizarre way a child could. Elder interference with Severus and Aurora's lives had resulted in Angel's conception. One could say it was an Immaculate Conception, but they wouldn't give that much credit to the Elders to consider them a god. The Elders had given Angel their knowledge so that she would be able to defeat one of their rogue members. Unfortunately, imprinting all of their knowledge into a small child was learning to be a rather bad idea on the Elders' parts. At times, Angel was positively frightening with her eerie way of foretelling events.

Finally, there was Harry, her new adoptive son. She was rather glad for Severus adopting the young man. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she had a feeling that his home life with the Dursleys was less than ideal. Harry was like Draco at times and seemed to be uncertain of his place. However, instead of shying from her touch as Draco did, Harry would lean into her more. It was as if he craved the affection she gave him, which she'd happily give both Harry and Draco until they either were of age or informed her to cease. In a way, it didn't seem fair to her that she would be there for Harry when Lily, Harry's real mother, couldn't be due to Voldemort's murdering of the witch years ago.

"Since we need to begin with the rituals soon, perhaps we could speak with your father about his overseeing it?" Severus asked softly next to her.

"Not my father, Severus, we'll ask someone else to preside over the rituals." When she felt his hand softly touch her arm, she sighed. "There are things about my life I don't want him to know." She caught his slight nod of understanding. "I was more or less thinking we could ask Albus. I'm not sure who our second attendant would be, though."

"There must be another?" She only nodded in response. "I see. We could perhaps ask Minerva."

"You're serious?" she replied, staring at him with large eyes.

"She is our daughter's godmother. It is only natural that I would assume she would take the role. Unless you have some objection to that, Aurora?" he asked. She said nothing, though. "I shall speak with your father then about it." He caught her eyes narrowing on him. "You did inform me that your father wishes for me to ask for your hand, did you not?"

"Yes, but this is Christmas, though, Severus."

"Which is why I shall wait until after they finish opening their gifts," he replied, taking a quick glance towards the three ripping open various wrapped boxes. He didn't have to wait long. Then again, no parent ever does for Christmas. He caught the feeling of their overwhelming excitement, which Harry's by far was the worst. He bore their assault when they all hugged and thanked him.

"Daddy, he knows Mummy doesn't want him," Angel whispered in his ear conspiratorially. "So he's not gonna be mad when you ask him."

"Thank you, my Angel," he replied, kissing her cheek softly. "I'll be back shortly."

"In an hour," she answered, hugging her Slytherin teddy bear against her tightly with her good arm. "I know." The warm dark eyes then glanced towards Aurora before Angel leaned towards his ear again. "Mummy's scared that you might hurt someone when you learn the truth," she whispered so softly that he barely heard her. "But I know you won't. Mummy knows it wasn't you, Daddy. It's because she loves you, but it was you, Daddy. She was your first, and you were hers." Angel then pressed a kiss to his cheek before walking back towards the large Christmas tree.


	14. Ritual of Cleansing

**Ritual of Cleansing**

Snape found himself being steered towards the dark leather sofa in his future in-laws' temporary quarters. So far, this visit wasn't going quite as he had imagined it. Syra was nowhere in sight, which according to her husband was nothing for him to worry over. He had hoped to speak to both of them, but he supposed he could speak just to Orin.

"As I am certain that you're aware, I wish to marry your daughter," he calmly spoke. He watched Orin lean back in the black armchair with a relaxed look on his face. This definitely wasn't going how he had thought it would. "My reasoning therefore is to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage as per the traditional ways of pureblood families. It is my intention and that of your daughter's to perform the necessary ceremonies to wed in the old ways." Orin only stared back at him. "While I was not a pureblood originally, I wish to raise my family with the traditional pureblood values."

"All of the traditional pureblood values?" asked Orin softly, folding his arms.

Snape had to force his face to remain relaxed to keep from grimacing. It was rather stupid to say such a thing. There were numerous values that he was aware were rooted heavily in prejudices. Drawing in a slow breath, he calmly planned out his next words.

"Forgive me, sir. I misspoke. What I mean to say is that I shall of course choose some of the traditional values that are not detrimental towards others. For example, I will not raise my children believing that Muggleborns are lesser than anyone else is. I am aware that this is a traditional value taught in pureblood families, but, with all due respect, I disagree with it and find it extremely prejudicial and hypocritical of such people who claim so. Muggleborns are no different than we are. In fact, my late best friend was a Muggleborn, and she gave numerous purebloods a run for their money."

"I see." Orin's brown eyes then narrowed on Snape as if examining him intently. "I must say that I am curious, Severus, as to why you choose to become a pureblood. Could you share your thinking so that I may know why you failed to place your faith in my daughter's judgment?"

"It had nothing to do with Aurora's judgment, sir," Snape replied politely. "To be quite honest, I was not thinking of how it would affect Aurora." Glancing away, he slowly exhaled. Perhaps honesty was the best route to explain. "My father was abusive so I looked for any way out magically speaking. I was aware at an early age that it was the one thing that gave me some form of control over him. So, when I attended Hogwarts and befriended several pureblooded students, I learned some of the lesser pureblooded principles and saw their hatred for Muggles. At the time, though, to hear other wizards calling Muggles monsters and saying that they should slaughter them like animals, well, sir, it was seductive. They were all thoughts I had previously had regarding my father. So, I soon began to live by their ideals and planned out my father's demise."

"I take it that around this time you took the Dark Mark?" the man sitting across from him asked.

"Yes, sir," Snape responded. Long repressed memories soon came to the surface, which he allowed to recite in an almost drone-like way. "I bared my arm to the Dark Lord and killed my father to prove how loyal and just I was to the cause. I watched the man who created me beg me to spare him. I heard his screams as he writhed in agony on the ground. I smelled his fear when I informed him that I'd bleed him slowly so he wished for death. I felt his blood splatter against my face when I cast my cutting curse at him. And for a time, I believed that I was just in my need of revenge against him."

"But soon the thirst couldn't be quenched anymore, and you realized that all the Muggle deaths in the world wouldn't help?" Orin softly spoke. He watched the younger man close his eyes and glance away, proving he was right. "Soon, you started to recognize that the monster in the mirror wasn't your father, but you. It scared you more than anything did, so you attempted to find an out so that you didn't become him. Only you couldn't see one so you obeyed every order given and felt yourself become a bit colder until finally you just stopped feeling all together. Am I correct?" The older wizard then sighed heavily. "While you no doubt suffered horribly by that man's abuse, I must state that your being a pureblood now does not change a thing truly. Your magic will undoubtedly be stronger, yes, but you will always carry a part of him inside you, unfortunately." He then scoffed. "Well, unless you go to the extreme of destroying your memories of him, but I do not see you doing as such. Severus, your father showed you what not to be. And looking at you right now, I see no tendency of abuse towards my daughter or my grandchildren. So, in response to you asking for my daughter's hand, I grant it."

"Thank you, sir," Snape replied with a slow exhale.

"No need, Severus," Orin said. "You spoke earlier of partaking in the old marriage traditions. Am I correct in my assumption then that Aura wishes to ask another to oversee the ceremony?"

"Yes, sir, we've decided to ask Albus and Minerva. I must admit that I am not familiar with it."

"I would have been surprised if you had, Severus. The old ways are not widely implemented anymore so it has become lost with time. Unfortunately, Severus, for you, the Sinistra family has done it for generations so I am quite aware of the rituals. I take it that you have questions for me then."

"I am aware that there are five rituals in total. Three of which must be completed prior to the traditional wedding ceremony."

"Quite right, I see that my daughter remembers some of what I taught her." Orin then leaned forward in his armchair. "In all actuality, the rituals sound more extensive than they really are. For the first ritual, Aura and you confess your secrets, and your attendants will either tell you if the secret is accepted or not. The second deals mostly with both of you reliving bad memories. It is perhaps the most difficult one, but it does make you stronger in the end as a couple. The third binds both of you together mentally and physically. Though, you have no part in this ritual. Your attendants solely perform the third ritual. The fourth is affirming your love for one another in front of your friends and family. And the last, well, I don't suppose I need to inform you of what that entails. The last two rituals are truly the only ones that purebloods still practice nowadays."

"This . . . transformation that Aurora is undergoing," Snape then paused before tugging on his collar. He felt horribly awkward speaking to his father-in-law about this, but he needed to know what surprises lie ahead for him. "I must admit that I am . . . uneasy about—"

"It's understandable that you would feel that way, Severus. Not every man learns that the woman he is about to marry is slowly transforming into a bloodsucking witch." He shared a soft laugh with his son-in-law. He could see the man was still uneasy. "May I put your concerns at rest by speaking openly with you, Severus?" He caught the younger wizard's slight jerky nod. "When I learned about Syra, I too was concerned about what this meant. I likely heard the same theories that you heard in school. I, however, loved Syra and trusted her with my life. Though, I'll admit. Unlike most men, I wasn't at all thrilled about my wedding night, knowing that my bride would likely bite my neck when we were being intimate." He then snorted. "In fact, I smeared garlic all over my neck just so she wouldn't. Let me tell you, Severus. Syra was not happy." Orin glanced towards the younger wizard. "You know the old 'garlic, cross, and holy water kill a vampire' thing?" When the man nodded slowly, Orin chuckled. "It's a myth. Syra actually wears a cross under her robes. She won't tell me the story behind it, but I've seen her wear it." Orin's eyes then narrowed. "Well, on second thought, the garlic thing might be partly true. Syra had a bad reaction to the garlic, but according to the witch at St. Mungo's, she's allergic to it."

"Did the witch not know that Syra was a vampire?"

"Unfortunately, that's just one thing that makes Syra a bit different than others." Orin then sighed. "I don't suppose there's any harm in telling you this since you're going to be a part of the family soon. All right, well, I grew up at Windsor, which is what my family has called our estates for generations. When I was nine, I went out riding with my uncle and stumbled across a three year old, who wore basically rags that was not fit for a house elf. His hair was filthy, and mud covered him from head to toe. I can still remember the look on my uncle's face when he found the boy in the forest. We brought him back to the manor, and my grandmother started to look after him. A few days later, a man showed up, asking if we had seen his son. My grandfather took him to the little boy we found in the forest, and the man thanked him and left the manor.

"About a month later, that same man showed up, asking to see my grandfather," Orin continued. "I can remember walking past my grandfather's study and hearing them talk rather intently about something. Well, I eavesdropped and overheard my grandfather inform the man that he and his family could build a cottage somewhere on the estates, but in exchange some of the man's family would work for him. The next day, there were two new workers, but I paid no attention to them for the most part. Years later and a few months after I married Syra, I gained ownership of Windsor and learned about that man and his family. The family was actually a clan of vampires from somewhere in Romania. They had fled to England to escape persecution from the Ministry and had asked my grandfather for asylum."

"Your grandfather permitted it," Snape spoke knowingly.

"Yes, strangely enough," Orin replied. "I never knew the reasoning behind it, but it likely had something to do with my grandfather needing someone to work on the estates. For three generations, Windsor has been home to witches, wizards, and vampires. There have been no issues that have ever arisen between the two, and as far as I am aware the Ministry does not seem to have noticed." He then shook his head. "According to one of the clan members, Syra is of a different breed, which I believe. Once turned, common knowledge states that magic is no longer accessible for the witch or wizard. Syra's magic is intact, though. According to a Ministry official that I have had some dealings with, Syra does not have the common trademarks of a traditional vampire. Her heart beats. She bleeds and injures as anyone else would. She eats normally with the occasional drink. She is not freezing to the touch. Granted, she does heal rather rapidly and does not suffer ailments such as a cold or Wizarding flu, but physically and medically speaking, all scans that we've done prove that she is just like a normal witch."

"You believe the same will occur with Aurora?"

"I am not quite certain, but I would hazard a guess that yes, it would."

"This Ministry official, you trust him?"

"Yes," Orin instantly replied. "And I believe you trust him as well, Severus." He smiled softly. "Albus ran every scan he could think of and found nothing." He then drew in a deep breath. "The clan member I spoke with stated that Syra has an odd scent about her, not quite witch, but not quite vampire either. I've never understood what it meant, but I doubt I ever will. My meaning of informing you of all this is so you know that you do not have to be wary about my daughter. From what I have seen with Syra, there is a form of control in them. The first will undoubtedly be the hardest, but place your faith in Aurora and trust her." Orin then stood up and walked towards his future son-in-law. "My daughter is strong, and I can see it in her eyes how much she loves you." He then placed a gentle, compassionate hand on the younger man's shoulder before flashing a soft smile towards him. "I am certain that you shall survive your wedding night, Severus. You just might be sore in the morning. Now go. I'll speak with Albus and Minerva concerning their roles in the rituals."

~Family~

Around midnight that night, Aurora inhaled deeply as she stood in the Room of Requirement. She reread the note for the hundredth time. _Dress in clothes that you do not care for and arrive at midnight._ Stuffing the note back into her pocket, she sighed heavily. Her heart was beating a hundred times per second. Her hands were sweating profusely, causing her to wipe them against her charcoal-colored jeans. That didn't distract her enough, though. Sighing again, she started to brush the invisible fuzz from her robes and dark blue cardigan that covered her white button-down shirt with blue vertical stripes. A soft clearing of a throat made Aurora stop and glance towards her mentor. Smiling shyly at Minerva, who wore a dark green robe with silver sash, Aurora allowed her hands to fall to her side.

To say she was nervous was a gross understatement. Tonight she would bare all of her secrets to Severus. There would be no going back afterwards. However, the same rang true for him. Her mind flooded with fears then. What would happen if he left her? Would he even want anything to do with her after the second ritual? Who would get custody of Angel? Would he even love her, knowing her darkest secret? Her body trembled slightly, but stopped instantly when she felt someone grab her upper arms.

"Are you well?"

"Sure, I mean, yes, of course, Severus, I'm fine. I'm just . . . anxious," Aurora replied with a forced laugh. She was being absolutely idiotic. Everything would be fine. She drew in a deep breath before forcing herself to smile. Everything would be fine. She just had to stop worrying somehow. "Um, are those the clothes you don't care for?" she joked.

"I had thought perhaps it would be calming to wear these," Severus answered, still staring at her with that familiar look of puzzlement. He then removed his hands and took a step back from her, which made his black teaching robes flow outwards in a hypnotic manner. Underneath his black frockcoat and black trousers, he wore his familiar white undershirt. His black boots shone and showed no signs of scuffmarks anywhere on them. Judging by his choice of dress, one would think that he was just about to teach double Potions with Slytherin and Gryffindor at any moment rather than getting married.

"If you are both ready," Albus spoke, clasping his hands. "I'll explain the rituals then."

"Of course," Severus responded, inclining his head slightly.

Aurora, however, stared blankly at her employer. This was happening. She was actually in the process of marrying Severus. Her heart sped up with sudden fear. Quickly, she found it difficult to breathe as it felt as if the walls were closing in around her. A hand slowly slipped into hers, though, allowing her to gain the necessary control once again. Everything was fine. Severus was right there.

"For the first ritual, you will both confess your secrets to one another. Either Minerva or I will then inform you if the secret is acceptable or not before moving onto the next." Albus then cleared his throat. "This ritual also asks that for each acceptable secret, one article of clothing is therefore removed from your persons by us."

"You're stripping us?" Aurora cried with a look of sheer terror. Her father had kindly forgotten to mention that part when she was younger.

"I assure you that you have nothing to feel embarrassed over, my dear. Minerva and I will respect your privacy. In fact, for the duration of this ritual, we will cast a charm around both of you so that we see nothing, but the blur of your clothing. However, this undressing is a necessary part of the ritual, representing the shedding of secrets between you."

"Lovely," Aurora muttered before shaking her head. "I mean, it's a shock enough to learn that my former Headmaster and mentor get to see me without any clothes. Oh and that they get to strip me magically," she said, scoffing. If she had known this would happen, she'd have told her parents to go to hell and forget about marrying in the old ways. How in the world could witches and wizards do this? She then shook her head. That was because usually it was the bride and groom's parents partaking in the rituals, having become accustomed to it during their own weddings. Aurora, however, hadn't wanted her father to learn her inner secrets. "Stupid wizards from thousands of years ago that couldn't make a ritual where you just slice your hand open and mix blood with your intended," she muttered. "I'd take that over this any day." Realizing that she was the only one protesting loudly, she glanced towards her mentor. "I don't suppose you can tell me what's going to happen to our clothes, right?"

"In efforts to start anew, your clothing shall be destroyed," Minerva answered.

"You are not having second thoughts, are you?" Severus asked, glancing towards Aurora.

"Of course not, but—"

"If marrying you meant that I had to enter the Great Hall in a state of undress, I would then do so," he interrupted calmly. "I would anticipate you feeling the same. Am I incorrect in my thinking?"

"Of course not, but—"

"I too am uncomfortable about this situation, Aurora. However, my desire to marry you outweighs such feelings."

"You damn snake," she said with a laugh. "Fine, I'll shut up about the undressing part." Slowly, she was starting to relax more. She could do this. She could get through the ceremony.

"Then if you will, please join hands and face each other." Albus watched the young couple do so before asking the room to alter itself. Around them, the floor gradually lowered into what appeared to be a swimming pool without the water. "As soon as your lower half is uncovered, water will start to fill for the next part of the ritual."

"You do not have to concern yourselves over removing your pendants. The ritual counters for protective amulets and ensures that we cannot accidentally remove them," Minerva interrupted quietly. "During the third ritual, you will be on your own. We will not see what you see. When you awaken, you will find yourselves back here." Minerva's green eyes then darted towards Albus.

"Let us begin, Aurora," the wise wizard spoke.

Aurora glanced towards her fiancé and sighed heavily. What to reveal first? She knew she had six secrets to reveal before she revealed her deepest and darkest one. Should she reveal a minor secret or go for one of the big ones? She wasn't quite sure. Glancing at Severus, she decided that a minor one would do for the first.

"When I asked you to tutor me third year, I was trying to spend more time with you. Honestly, I could care less about Potions, but when you speak about them, I can just hear the adoration you have for the subject in your voice. You also get this little look in your eyes as if you're whispering to a lover and don't want to be caught by anyone. It's rather cute." Aurora's eyes then darkened slightly. "It just pisses me off now unfortunately because I feel like I have to compete with that, too."

"I see." Severus stared at her for a moment before snorting. "You were fairly obvious, though."

"Accepted," Albus quietly said with a soft clearing of his throat. His wand then flicked towards her, banishing her black boots to the other side of the room near him. "Wonderful socks, Miss Sinistra." His blue eyes twinkled at her silver socks with green snakes slithering around.

"I received a Troll for my Astronomy O.W.L." Severus then cleared his throat with a pained grimace that Aurora shared with him. "I also received a Dreadful for my Transfigurations." He grimaced again. This time it was the same moment Minerva and Albus did. "I failed to use my free time adequately, spending the majority of my time working on several new additions to numerous potions, which failed and resulted in me nearly destroying the Potions lab." He then glanced at Aurora before sighing heavily. "It is perhaps the main reason why I constantly insult your subject area. Any idiot can pass Astronomy, even Longbottom it seems, except me."

"Accepted," replied Minerva, firmly pressing her lips together. Her wand then flicked at Severus in a similar manner that Albus had earlier done with Aurora. Soon, his shiny black boots vanished before reappearing next to Minerva's feet. His black socks weren't very exciting to tell the truth.

"After Evans dumped you—"

"She didn't dump me!"

"Okay, sorry, I meant that you wished you were dating her so then it'd be a dump situation."

"For the last time, she didn't dump me!"

"I'm not going to argue semantics with you, Severus, but after the big breakup between you two, I got into a bit of . . . altercation with her over her handling of it. I might have . . . possibly harmed her. There might have been blood drawn and hair pulled. I believe there was also an incident of robes ripping and water spraying everywhere, soaking us. A couple of the nearby girls went to get a teacher and brought back Slughorn. That trip to the headmaster's office was interesting to say the least. I got four months detention with Filch and had to apologize to Princess Lily later for blooding her face when I accidentally—" A throat then cleared harshly. "Okay, so I might have punched her, but she deserved that." Aurora felt Severus's hands clench painfully around her wrists as he silently glared at her. "What? I apologized. I was rather nice about it, too. Quote 'I'm sorry, Lily . . . that you couldn't go to Hogsmeade with your little Pervert Potter last weekend." His hands clenched tighter around her wrists.

"Aurora," Severus hissed.

"You know, you're rather sexy when you hiss."

"Accepted," interrupted Albus rather loudly. He then summoned her crimson robes from her, effectively stunning her into silence.

"The only reason you didn't end up strung up and tied to the front gates was because of me. I informed the others that you were off-limits. Perhaps I should not have been so quick to judgment, though. You clearly haven't learned to keep your mouth shut yet, and it's been sixteen years. Surely, even you can learn new tricks, Aurora."

Severus didn't get even a bit of a verbal cue. His frockcoat immediately vanished before reappearing next to Minerva. "Accepted," the elderly witch spoke, staring at her former students with hard green eyes.

"Ha! I did end up tied to the front gate, so clearly your word meant nothing to the others!" Aurora snapped before her words echoed back to her. The horror slowly spread across her face as she realized what she said. She watched the confusion enter his eyes before he glanced at Albus.

"What is she talking about, Albus?"

"I insulted a certain dark wizard in the Slytherin common room. A few of the upperclassmen of course didn't appreciate that so they jumped me. One casted a Silencing charm on me. Another casted the Body Bind Curse so I didn't move. They then beat me so severely that there were barely any bones left that weren't shattered. To teach me a lesson, one of them snuck me out of the castle and tied me to the front gate. Before they left, they said that if there were any werewolves or vampires around, they'd have a feast on me." Aurora felt his hands jerk slightly as he listened to her. "Hagrid found me the next morning, still tied to that damn gate."

"Why didn't you expel them, Albus?" Severus growled, whirling around.

"Because I wouldn't tell him who did it," Aurora answered quietly. "And now, it doesn't matter because the majority of them are dead anyway. In some cases, though, I'm teaching their offspring."

"Accepted," Albus spoke softly, summoning Aurora's socks to the pile beside him.

"After you closed the wound to my shoulder and left the boys' dormitory, I undid your spell so that I would have a scar to remind me how my actions affected others." Severus then sighed heavily. "I can still remember the knife piercing my shoulder, and you glaring at me. I had never seen so much hatred and disgust in your face as I did that day."

"Accepted," replied Minerva, banishing his socks to her side.

"I wanted to ask you to be my escort to the Yule Ball, but I was too scared to ask."

"Accepted," announced Albus, summoning her dark blue cardigan.

"In preparation for our wedding, I've been taking dancing lessons from Albus. Dancing would perhaps be another Troll grade if one had an O.W.L on it." He caught Aurora's soft laugh.

"Accepted," replied the stern Head of Gryffindor, adding to the pile his black vest that offered additional protection to him when brewing.

"Either my slacks are going or my shirt with this next revelation," Aurora said, smiling. "The day I graduated from Hogwarts, I asked—rather told—Albus that I wished to become a member for the Order. I gave him a list of numerous students whom I knew to be Death Eaters that had attended Hogwarts to prove myself to him. He permitted my joining, but no one was to know that I was an Order member except Minerva, Alastor, and himself. On numerous occasions, I ended up in a duel with you during a routine raid. I believe our record was something like 24-25 with you leading by one."

"Accepted," spoke Albus, banishing her charcoal-colored jeans to the pile.

"Well, that's good then," said Aurora, noticing that her white button-down shirt with blue vertical stripes covered her lower half. "I believe it's your turn."

"A few months after you would have graduated, I was in a duel that I know without a doubt was against you. At the time, I was not loyal to Albus so I threw every hex and curse and anything else I knew towards you. During which time, I managed to get you to walk backwards and trip over an exposed tree root. When you tumbled backwards, your black hood fell, allowing me to catch a glimpse of your face. I admit now that discovery rather shocked me to the core. So, in response to my shock, I fled and apparated away, which did not particularly thrill the Dark Lord"

"Accepted," announced the Gryffindor. His black trousers soon were in the growing pile. Water quickly started to fill the pool, just as Albus and Minerva had previously warned. However, it stopped the second it reached their thighs. No one spoke for a few moments.

"Knowing that the Dark Lord on occasion called you to him during the school year, I placed a tracking spell on your pendant before I gave it to you. It allowed me to be aware of your nighttime sleeping habits and if you were away from the castle or whatnot. With the use of the pendant, I soon became aware of what I had called 'bad nights." She then sighed heavily. "You were always exhausted upon returning and frequently dosed yourself with Dreamless Sleep. However, it soon became apparent that on 'bad nights' even Dreamless Sleep couldn't subdue your ability to suffer from night terrors. So during your sixth and seventh year, I would sneak into the Slytherin boys' dormitory and sleep beside you during those nights. It appeared to calm you enough so you could have what would be constituted as restful sleep for you."

"Accepted," replied Albus, adding her shirt to the pile.

"Lace?" drawled Severus smirking. His dark eyes remained staring into her eyes out of respect for her, but he could clearly see the green with silver lace bra covering her breasts.

"Severus, perhaps you've forgotten that Albus and Minerva are here."

"No, I haven't. But if I had, it would be due to that . . . interesting choice of underclothes you're wearing." He watched her cheeks flush with a healthy hint of scarlet. He, however, cleared his throat. It was a bit dangerous to think such thoughts without the much-needed privacy. "In response to your sharing my bed for two years while we were students, you are incorrect in your assumption that I never woke up. My seventh year I woke to the smell of raspberries and a clump of thick dark curls covering my face and chest. At first, I had thought that a group of Pigmy puffs was attacking me, but I realized quickly that there was a young woman lying on top of me. I will admit that in my pain-filled haze I allowed my hand to drift certain places where it should not have been. For that, I apologize."

"Accepted," spoke Minerva with a stern look at the two adults. She quickly summoned his white undershirt to the pile, which allowed his black boxers to peek out from underneath his teaching robes.

"Albus, can I make a request on which article goes next?" The elderly wizard said nothing, but she spoke anyway. "I'd appreciate it if the bra was next." Still, she received no response, but she knew he had heard her. Drawing in a slow breath, she attempted to draw in as much courage as she would need for the last two secrets. She wasn't really certain how Severus would take the next, but she knew that her last one would kill him inside. "After learning that you had taken the Dark Mark, I went up to the Astronomy Tower with the intention of becoming extremely intoxicated to become numb to the feelings of betrayal and hatred towards you. I did so, but I also ended up . . ." She then sighed before drawing in another breath. "I had sex with Sirius Black." She felt his hands suddenly jerk in response to her words before she continued. "It's not one of my proudest moments, and I'm not really sure what the hell I was thinking." She then scoffed. "Well, I probably do on second thought. I wanted to hurt you. I wanted you to feel the betrayal I felt. In my stupid brain, it must have seen only logical to have sex with Sirius to get back at you since Evans had done the same with Potter. The only problem was that I loved you too much, so it only made me feel worse. I think Sirius knew afterwards that it had nothing to do with him. Ever since that night, there's been some strange bond between us. I mean, I'm not saying I like him or anything because I don't. I still think he's a bastard who deserves to be castrated with a dull knife, but he's been . . . somewhat protective with me since that night."

"Accepted," quietly replied Albus. Her green with silver lace bra soon appeared in the pile.

Clearing his throat, Severus forced himself to remain staring into Aurora's eyes. In terms of these types of situations, curiosity didn't usually take over, but he couldn't really help it. He knew that there was only one thing left on her body. However, Albus's words from long ago echoed in his mind, effectively dampening his desire to trail his eyes down her body in order to soak in every curve.

"I was aware of something going on between you and Black, but I did not know it was over that. I caught him once staring at you from the Gryffindor table. I regret that I allowed my mind to run rampant with thoughts, which caused me to follow him into the loo one day. I assaulted Black from behind and informed him that if he ever stared at you like that again, he would find himself permanently disfigured. Unfortunately, at the time, Black believed it to be Reg, not me, causing more animosity between them. I should have guessed that would have occurred, considering how Reg felt for you."

The black flowing teaching robes suddenly disappeared before appearing on top of the pile with the familiar 'accepted' from Minerva. He was now in just his black boxers. However, neither of the two said anything. They kept their eyes locked. It was as if they could both feel the other's fears of their worst secrets. Slowly, they both drew in a breath for courage before closing their eyes, silently promising the other that no matter what they would be fine. It appeared to calm them enough. Soon, it didn't even register that they were in the Room of Requirement wearing only their bottom underclothes with their employers and former teachers still in the room with them. It was just Severus and Aurora in their minds, no one else.

Confessing her last secret, Aurora felt a weight lift off her chest as her last article of clothing went on top of the pile. She smiled at Severus as he confessed his then. With his boxers soon gone, he stood there, holding Aurora. Neither noticed the water nor the murky goo covering them until it was too late.

**A/N: **Sorry for the evil cliffhanger. Just so you know why I rushed the last paragraph, I did have them confessing their big dark secrets to one another (it was about three pages), but decided to post it as an optional chapter on the following screen. Next real chapter is "Ritual of Sorrow." With a chapter like that, you'll know that it's going to be rather sad so you're forewarned.


	15. Optional Addition to Ritual of Cleansing

**Warning: **Content may be disturbing for some concerning the characters' pasts. Contains non-graphic descriptions of rape.

**A/N: **Some of you wondered about their darkest secrets, so if the warnings above haven't scared you off. However, if it does, then feel free to skip this chapter. I totally understand.

**Optional Addendum to Ritual of Cleansing**

"I, um," Aurora's voice cracked softly before she drew in another deep breath. "When I was fifteen, I snuck out of the castle and went to Hogsmeade for a butterbeer. I didn't make it to the Three Broomsticks, though. Someone grabbed me from behind, apparated me away, and I soon found myself at a-at a Death Eater meeting." She felt his hands contract against her own. "My captor brought me before Voldemort and told him that he had found one whose blood was pure. I can still remember the sickening smile on his face when he ran his finger down my cheek, telling me that I was to be a birthday present for one of his new initiates. I responded with some choice words, making him laugh and say that I was perfect. He then ordered Bellatrix to clean me up for the party. She ripped my clothes off, leaving only my underclothes before carving a Dark Mark into my left forearm. She made me unrecognizable."

"Aurora," he softly spoke. She, however, shook her head violently at him.

"I never saw his face, and he didn't say a word throughout . . ." Her voice cracked once more. "He never made a sound during it. When he was . . . finished, he whispered in my ear, 'Please don't cry. Please. I didn't mean to hurt you." She felt Severus's hands jerk violently as he held her hands, but he said nothing. "He then kissed me and healed me the best he could. There was another who entered the room and said that he wanted a go at the pretty little lass. I didn't hear the response, but he covered my body with his robes, kissed my cheek, and left. I woke up later at the front gates, wearing only those damn Death Eater robes. Poppy informed Albus of what had happened, and he attempted to inform my parents, but I swore them to secrecy that I could deal with it without having my parents involved. It isn't common practice at Hogwarts, but I told Albus that Voldemort knew who I was and that he'd use the information to taunt my family. Albus agreed. For about a year, I had to speak with Minerva and Poppy, mostly Minerva though about my experiences until they were certain I was going to have normalcy in my life again. A few months after the rape, though, I discovered that I was pregnant. I didn't tell anyone. So when I shot my mouth off in the common room about Voldemort, that beating caused me to miscarry and would have killed me had it not been for Pomfrey." She pressed her lips together tighter to keep from crying when she felt Severus rub his thumbs tenderly against the back of her hands.

"I didn't know," he softly spoke.

"That's the good thing about us Slytherins, Severus. We keep our secrets hidden from all." She then inhaled deeply and blinked back the tears. "Shortly after graduating, I went on a raid with the Order. Something hit me from behind, and I found myself in front of Voldemort again. He saw the mark on my arm and smiled, saying that his favorite had been sad lately and that I was the perfect gift for him. They altered my appearance again and brought me to what appeared to be a bedroom this time. Voldemort said that I deserved only the best if I was to carry his favorite's heir." Aurora then scoffed. "I'm not sure if anyone would call the second time rape. I didn't fight back. Hell, I helped the man." She then gasped as she choked back a sob. "I just-I just wanted it over." Tears streamed down her ashen face. "He was—he was so gentle that I-I didn't even . . . I . . ." Strong arms wrapped around her as if to protect her from the world. She drew in the strong scent of vanilla and buried her face into his neck.

"Accepted," said a voice in the distance. Her last article of clothing appeared on the pile then.

"You don't ever have to explain that to me, Aurora. What happened to you was horrendous, but it was not your fault," Severus declared fiercely, still holding her tight against him. "The—NO, I refuse to call him that anymore. That son of a bitch monster is to blame, not you. Aurora, listen to me. I don't care if you kicked puppies or destroyed my entire lab. Nothing, Aurora, gives a man the right to do that to you or anyone else for that matter." He then drew in a slow, deep breath. "It was expected of that bastard's Inner Circle to 'prove your loyalties' to him. You did so by raping either the occasional half-blood or Muggleborn witch followed by killing her." He felt Aurora stiffen slightly. "However, for certain members, that monster would brand a witch of his choosing so that all others knew she was to be for that particular member. I am aware of only seven witches that were branded in such a way, which is the same number as his favorites in the Inner Circle." He sighed heavily. "Narcissa bore one to show she belonged only to Lucius. Bella had one to show she belonged to Rodolphus. Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle's mothers had the brands of their husband. Before he killed her, Dolohov branded a witch named Rochelle. Mulciber had a Muggle woman named Vanessa branded, but I am not certain if she is still alive or not." He drew in a deep breath before exhaling slowly. "Each brand had a specific magical signature embedded in it so that during intercourse it would ensure a pregnancy. So upon marriage, the brand would disappear because it was thought that the witch would have learned to obey."

"Break her in like one would do to a horse," Aurora softly mumbled against him.

"It was his thinking, yes," he replied. "I 'proved my loyalties' five times while in that monster's service." Once again, Aurora stiffened in his arms. Closing his eyes, he placed his chin on top of her head, thinking how he was never letting go of her again.

Angel's words echoed around him, almost suffocating him. _"But it was you, Daddy. She was your first, and you were hers." _His stomach soured as the realization hit him.

"My sixteenth birthday, I took the Dark Mark, killed my bastard Muggle father, and celebrated it later by losing my virginity to a witch. At the time, I believed Lucius when he told me that as long as I was gentle, she'd enjoy it then. I regret that I was naïve enough to believe that lie. I was . . . inexperienced in comparison to the others. Dammit," he growled. "That monster's lies sounded plausible when he told me that she was my present. I-I thought—I foolishly believed that he was treating me as one would a son. I-I-I didn't know. Each of the women I . . . violated, I-I believed that I was making love to them, not violating them. The last time I proved my loyalties, I was nineteen. When he was reborn, he said to me that he felt no need for me to prove myself to him anymore." He pulled her closer against him, feeling either her or himself trembling uncontrollably. "My first time, I gave her my robes so she'd have some form of privacy from the others. My second through fourth times, I allowed the witches to see me before leaving, not learning until after the fourth witch that I was causing their deaths. My last time, I held the witch afterwards and left her after she fell asleep. I-I informed him that I wished to make her my wife, but she was already gone by the time I returned." With his boxers then gone, he stood there, holding Aurora. Neither noticed the water or the goo covering them until it was too late.


	16. Sorrows Bind

**A/N: **You're definitely going to need a tissue box for this chapter, particularly towards the end. By the way, some of you likely already are aware of this, but I typically have Severus join the Death Eaters when he's sixteen (mostly because it shows the impulsiveness of teenagers and emphasizes more of how it was a mistake.) The Marauders' scene uses J.K.'s words so you should recognize her words.

**Sorrows Bind**

As a rush of sudden cold from the bottom of the flawless water surrounded her feet, Aurora's rich brown eyes widened unexpectedly. She attempted to glance down to see what was in the water, but found she was unable to strangely enough. She then felt Severus's sharp intake of air before he noticeably tensed, still holding her in his strong arms. Clenching her teeth together to keep from crying out, she felt whatever it was slither its way up her naked body, hugging her every curve as it moved over her. Her eyes then widened as a clear mass surrounded Severus's chest, encasing him.

She only had one experience with this, for the lack of a better word, goo before. It had been present during her initiation into the Order. And like this time, Minerva and Albus were both present. However, at the time, the goo only covered her for a few moments before retreating again. This time, it seemed to want to stay forever.

As the tasteless goo seeped into her mouth through the tiny cracks, she instantly felt herself start to choke on it. Of course her act of choking caused her mouth to widen instinctively, allowing more of it in. And unlike the last time she encountered it, she felt herself starting to lose consciousness as it cut off her air supply. She fought the losing battle against it, finally succumbing to it a moment later.

Blinking back the blurriness, she groaned softly at the temporary double vision left behind as the darkness in her mind retreated. An unfamiliar room soon came into focus. Her eyes then slowly trailed over the bare room, taking in the sight of the threadbare bed, rickety old dresser, and decrepit-looking nightstand. She was sure that if someone just gently blew against any of the three pieces of furniture, it'd surely then crumble to the floor. Her eyes then watched large yellowed paint chips quietly fall every now and then from the ceiling and the walls to the badly scuffed wood floor. She could just feel the neglect and abandonment this room witnessed.

"It would seem that I am to go first," Severus softly spoke as he suddenly appeared next to her.

Her eyes quickly darted to him, smiling a moment later when she noticed his elegant emerald bathrobe tied by a shimmering silver belt. He looked rather princely and extremely handsome in her opinion. Her smile then widened as he gently laced his fingers with hers.

"This was your bedroom?" she asked, glancing back at the badly mistreated room.

"Yes."

She decided to leave it at that, knowing that this ritual was going to be hard enough without her asking difficult and unnecessary questions. Sighing softly, she glanced around the room again for the lack of anything better to do. A moment later, however, she shook her head. There were no pictures.

"Is something wrong, Aurora?"

"No," she quietly replied. Looking at this room, she felt pangs of sympathy for him. His home life clearly was worse than he had ever let on. There should have been at least some pictures or something that distinguished this room as his. However, she found nothing.

A moment later, a young child with badly soiled long raven locks appeared on top of the threadbare bed. The boy didn't seem any older than five by the looks of him. He was extremely small and skeleton-like as if he hadn't eaten in years. Slowly, he pulled his knees up, staring fearfully at the closed door behind Aurora and her husband.

She had to resist her maternal instinct to wrap her arms around the poor child in front of her. It wasn't as if the boy could even see her as it was, let alone feel her. This was the boy that would become her husband. Drawing in a slow breath to keep her emotions at bay, she gently squeezed her husband's hand, seeking while also giving comfort. She swallowed harshly when she heard the child's terror-filled whimpers as he stared at something behind them. She could only imagine what this poor boy had endured thus far and what was to come.

As if on cue, the door suddenly flew open. A large hook-nosed man with a terrifying sneer now stood in the doorway. The man's sinister black, soulless eyes glared murderously at the child. He then took several threatening steps towards the boy on the bed.

"What've I told ya 'bout walking away from me, boy?" the man snarled.

The child released another fearful whimper, but didn't reply. He just continued to stare at the man. His entire body shook with fright, though, as the man stalked towards him. When the first blow struck him across his youthful face, he cried out and threw his arms up to protect himself.

"ANSWER ME DAMMIT!" roared the enraged man. When there was no response, the man's fist slammed once more against the child's face. "LISTEN HERE, BOY! YER GONNA ANSWER ME WHEN I SPEAK TO YA OR ELSE!" Once more, the man didn't receive a reply. Instead, he received terror-filled cries from the poor child. "THAT'S IT, BOY. I WARNED YA!" The man's hand then went to his belt, undoing it as fast as lightning.

Aurora gasped and quickly turned her head away, knowing what was next. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the sounds as the man's belt connected with the child's back a half-dozen times. She felt herself trembling horribly at the poor boy's screams behind her.

When Severus's arms quickly wrapped around her and pulled her into a fierce embrace, she cried into his shoulder. She knew of course that his father had beaten him. She had seen the bruises whenever he returned from Holidays. However, she had always believed that his father used his fists, not a belt. What sort of sick son of a bitch would take a belt to his own child? She then scoffed. As if using fists to beat a child was any better.

"I'm glad you murdered the son of a bitch," she quietly spoke, hatred filling her words. She received no reply from him, but she didn't expect one either. She could hear the blows of the belt still as the bastard brought it against the child's back. She wanted it to stop. She didn't want to hear anymore.

Ripping herself from her husband's strong arms a moment later, she whirled around and casted the darkest spell she knew straight at that sick bastard. Expecting the spell to go right through him as if watching this in a pensieve, she was therefore shocked when the large Muggle screamed loudly as the spell effectively boiled him from the inside out.

She stared at the sickly puddle on the floor before glancing towards the poor child who was still curled up in the fetal position. If she could do that, then . . . Drawing in a slow breath, she slowly walked towards the badly bleeding child. She felt her husband behind her as he closely followed. Hesitantly, she reached out to the crying boy. Her hand hovered for a moment above his badly marred back. She then felt a hand cover hers, gently pushing her hand down. She glanced up the moment her hand connected with the child's back to stare at her husband. He said nothing, though.

Slowly, her hand lightly trailed down, feeling the warm crimson liquid against her fingertips. The child, however, didn't seem to feel her touch. In fact, the boy made no reaction whatsoever. She knew that he should have been howling from the pain, but he just laid there curled up in a ball. Her eyes then narrowed as she noticed the once marred, bloody skin slowly heal until it was unblemished alabaster skin again.

Removing her hand, she closed her eyes, wishing it was that easy to heal wounds. Reopening her eyes a moment later, she glanced towards her bloody hand. However, when the crimson quickly soaked into her palm, she gasped and looked up at her husband.

He only stared back, seemingly as puzzled if not more than she was. He then sighed before taking several steps towards a picture that had somehow appeared on the wall. He quietly removed it and handed it to her.

Her mouth opened slightly as she glanced at it. It was a picture of them laughing in some snowy winter landscape. However, she was rather certain that there hadn't been a picture like that taken yet. Her fingertips lightly traced the silver frame, smiling as the picture Severus wrapped his arms around her picture self. Their picture selves looked so happy.

The bedroom then swirled together as if someone had taken a giant mixer to it. The effect unfortunately made Aurora very nauseated so she closed her eyes, hoping it would be over soon enough. She then heard a familiar laugh, which made her open her eyes again before glancing towards the sound.

"Who's he?" her husband asked, staring at the dark-haired young man holding hands with a seven-year-old Aurora. There was no jealousy of course, just curiosity.

"Declan Fiori," Aurora replied, shaking her head while laughing. "I had the biggest crush on him when I was growing up."

"Ah," her husband simply said. "And where is Mr. Fiori now?"

"He's still at Windsor, taking care of things for me until I return."

"I see," he quietly responded, walking beside her as they followed the happy duo in front of them. "He doesn't harm you, does he?"

"No," she answered with a soft smile. "Declan serves as my protector." She then sighed. "He's about to release his hand in a moment, which makes me run off farther into the forest by myself." Her dark eyes then watched as her younger version did just that, rushing off into the darkness as the young man bent down to touch the frozen foliage. "I should have stayed with him."

Loud screams then echoed around the forest, drawing both Declan and her husband's attentions. Aurora, however, remained perfectly neutral as she headed towards the sounds. She said nothing when the young man rushed past her, moving faster than humanly possible.

When they reached the screaming little girl a moment later, Aurora felt her husband visibly tense. Then again, she saw that he was currently watching two rogue Dementors suck the life out of her as Declan fought with the third. She turned away for a moment when Declan finally gained the upper hand and drove the dark creatures back from her.

"Mistress Aurora, look at me," commanded Declan, holding the badly shaking girl in his arms. "Mistress, please look at me." The young man seemed horribly worried. "Mistress, please," he repeated, lowering his voice as he pleaded with the unresponsive young girl.

"I have never felt as cold as I did that day," Aurora quietly stated, glancing towards her husband. "At seven, I had an abundance of happy memories, which made me the perfect meal for them. Declan tried and tried for hours to coax me from my protective little shell in my mind. I hadn't a clue what was going on, though, so I blocked out his attempts." She then sighed. "He took me to my father, thinking that the Dementors had preformed their dreaded Kiss on me." Shaking her head, she stared at the sight of Declan holding her younger self, rocking them back and forth gently to soothe her. "It took me three months to recover." She then scoffed. "To this day, those things still freak me out." Glancing towards her husband, she noticed his frown as he stared at Declan and her younger self. "Severus?" she asked a moment later as he walked towards her seven-year-old self.

He conjured a bar of chocolate then, gently pressing a small piece against the child's pale blue lips. He said nothing when the sliver melted or even when the child instinctively licked her lips, smearing the chocolate. He then walked back.

Very gently, another picture frame appeared out of nowhere. This time, it dropped beside Aurora on the ground with a soft thump. She silently bent down and picked it up. The picture this time had Aurora embracing Septima in the foreground with Severus and Remus in the background and Sirius standing off a bit. Judging by the gown Septima was wearing, the picture clearly was taken at a wedding. But to whom was the Arithmancy professor married to?

Before she could find out the answer, though, the colors swirled, taking them elsewhere. She instantly felt the warmth from the sun against her face. Nearby, she could hear children laughing, catching the occasional use of a name. Her rich brown eyes then found a familiar redheaded girl heading towards the gang of Gryffindors who were in the process of stalking their prey, a fifth-year Severus Snape. Aurora just barely held in her fiery words for the Gryffindors.

"They're going to terrorize you again, aren't they?" she asked, glaring at the Marauders.

"We'll duel, yes," her husband quietly replied, looking at the sight distastefully.

"I take it this is when Miss Perfect decides you're too much work?" She then glanced towards her husband and caught his instant frown. Shaking her head, she suppressed a sigh. She never could say a bad word about Princess Lily. Though, she'd admit that some of her harshness towards the witch was due to her childish jealousy of Lily's closeness to Severus during school.

Turning back to the sight of James Potter bullying Severus yet again, she watched as James casted Levicorpus against the fifth-year Slytherin. Why in Circe's great name did no one do anything about this constant harassment? All of the professors knew, every single one of them, and they did nothing for Severus. Why? Because Severus was a Slytherin who happened to fall into the ways of dark magic, which made him have an air of darkness around him that unsettled others.

"How'd the exam go, Snivelly?" said James with a cocky grin.

"Dear Circe, could he be any more arrogant?" Aurora growled, glaring at the messy-haired boy.

"I'm certain he could." Her husband then grimaced as he watched his younger self struggle against the invisible ropes before snarling something back. "It was ludicrous. Any other time I could do wandless magic, but that one damn time . . ."

"It was two against one, Severus. If you had dealt with Potter, Sirius would have dealt with you." Aurora then muttered a string of curses under her breath as she watched the pink froth bubbling out of the fifth-year Slytherin's mouth.

"Leave him ALONE!"

Aurora's eyes darted towards the shout, scoffing when she noticed Lily marching towards the boys. She had nearly forgotten that the witch was even there. She quickly tuned out the redhead's self-righteousness as Lily continued her back and forth bickering with James. A moment later, she glanced towards the fifth-year with raven locks, smirking slightly as she noticed the young man's long fingers curling around the ebony wand. She in fact laughed a few seconds later when a jet of light sliced James's cheek.

"Sectumsempra?" she quietly asked, glancing towards her husband.

"Yes, however, I missed," he replied with a twinge of some indescribable emotion.

"Well, I'll thank Circe that you missed then, Severus. Otherwise, you'd have been in Azkaban for that arrogant jerk's death." Her voice then went frigid as she watched James's retaliation. "Even though, the bastard clearly deserved it," she said, glaring at the young Gryffindor. Her dark eyes then caught Lily's reaction and the slight twitch in the redhead's lips. "That—_Lily_!" she snarled, wishing she had her wand to curse the witch to hell and back.

"You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus—"

Aurora then noticed her husband's violent flinch out of the corner of her eye. She turned back and sighed. The fifth-year Severus looked downright vicious, whereas her husband was full of remorse.

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!"

Grimacing, Aurora closed her eyes. That certainly explained a hell of a lot. It was a slip of the tongue, though. She knew it so Lily had to, too. Severus loved Lily. He didn't mean that.

"Fine," the fifth-year Gryffindor that had won Severus's heart long ago replied calmly. "I won't bother in the future." She then flared her nostrils slightly. "I'd wash your pants if I were you, _Snivellus_."

"Oh, come on, Lily!" Aurora snapped, throwing her arms up into the air. "He clearly didn't mean that. It just came out!" She then growled under her breath, clenching her hands into fists as she glared. "It was a mistake. He didn't mean to call you that." A soft snort next her made her glance towards her husband. "You find this funny?" she asked, extremely shocked by his amusement.

"There's a sort of irony about this situation now, Aurora." He then chuckled once more before shaking his head. "My wife is yelling at a witch that I've fancied since I was nine about something that happened years ago."

"You made a mistake. She should have forgiven you."

"Perhaps," he simply replied before glancing back to the sight of James and Sirius talking to one another as Lily stormed away from them.

"Albus should have expelled them," Aurora muttered, glaring at the two Gryffindors. "They were bullies that made people's lives hell for years. And instead of doing something about their harassment, Albus allowed them free reign."

"I was a known Slytherin that was fascinated with the Dark Arts, Aurora," he replied quietly.

"And that gave them the right?" she squawked in outrage.

"It did not. However, if I had not been so drawn—"

"Stop blaming yourself. You didn't do anything." She then scoffed, shaking her head. "You were drawn to the Dark Arts because of that bastard Muggle that beat you, Severus. You found some book somewhere likely that showed you how to kill someone like him, and it gave you hope, a feeling of powerfulness for the first time in your life. You went to Hogwarts later with the expectation that you'd find a place where you felt safe, a home. Instead you found another hell because James and his dumbass friend thought it'd be funny to harass you constantly, all because James fell in love with Lily."

"It sounds perfectly logical when you say it like that."

"That's because it's true, Severus." She then sighed when he clearly started to ignore her. She joined her husband then, staring at Potter and Sirius. One of the first things she was going to do when they returned was slap that egotistical jerk Sirius Black.

"Now, who wants to see me take off Snivelly's trousers?" James asked with a nasty sneer, pointing his wand towards the upside down suspended fifth-year Slytherin.

"Oh no you don't, you son of a bitch," Aurora snarled, throwing a curse towards Lily. She knew that her casting of an Unforgiveable here wouldn't show up anywhere out there in the waking world so she wasn't worried. After all, this was all in their minds. If one had to describe it, it'd be said that it was a bit like sharing a dream with someone. However, she'd likely have casted an Unforgivable on Lily had she been there that day anyway.

A moment later, Aurora smiled widely, feeling rather proud after Lily transfigured James's clothes into what looked like something straight from the mind of Theodor Seuss Geisel. The feathered pom-poms residing at the bust and hips of the monstrosity puffed out in every direction. The rainbow stripes started at the neck fell horizontally down to his knees only to meet bright red leggings and open toed shoes. It was definitely something very worthy for James Potter to wear in her opinion.

Loud roars of laughter filled the air as James quickly rushed towards the castle, multicolored feathers flying out behind him. The laughter only increased then. After all, what person in his or her right mind would not be laughing at the perfect poetic justice to the entire thing?

Glancing towards her husband, Aurora smiled softly, enjoying the look of sheer pleasure on his face as he watched his childhood tormenter fleeing from the laughter. She then went up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. She softly laughed when he turned towards her with a confused look.

"I love you." She then snorted when he just nodded. That was so typical of him.

Once more a picture suddenly appeared out of thin air, dropping onto the ground with a soft thump. Severus grabbed it instantly and held it out to her. She only smiled, glancing at it. She then laughed, shaking her head. It was a picture of her and Severus in the Slytherin common room, only she had it seemed tripped and fallen back into his arms.

As the colors swirled again, she quickly closed her eyes, blocking out the mixed rainbow of nausea. A few moments later, she felt Severus's hand above her elbow, informing her that it was all right to look. She did and immediately sighed at the sight of the common room.

"Oh, dear Circe," Aurora muttered as she caught her fifth-year self leaping up to her feet from the sofa she had been sitting on previously. She then glanced towards her husband and rolled her eyes at his look. They knew this memory all too well.

"Where were you?" demanded the fifth-year girl as she stared at the lanky dark-haired Slytherin walking through the portrait. "Oh, please tell me that you didn't fight Potter and Black again."

"I didn't duel them. I didn't even see the morons," he responded with a scoff.

"Good. Now, answer me. Where were you?"

"What are you, my goddamn keeper?"

"Some days, it feels like it, Severus," the fifth-year replied in the same exasperated tone as he had. "Now, answer my question."

"Fine," the sixth-year growled with a nasty smirk on his face. "I went to the loo and pissed. You happy now, Sinistra?" he asked, glaring at her.

"You two fighting again?" grumbled Evan Rosier as he approached the two of them, eating an apple. "Just tell her yes already and save yourself the trouble, Snape."

"But he can't do that, Evan, because then he has to admit he's human," drawled the fifth-year. "And we know how Severus just can't show any sorts of emotions, lest be found out that he's a secret Hufflepuff." She smiled wickedly at him, which made him glare daggers back.

"Ooh, ouch, she just burned you man," chuckled Rosier.

Ignoring the ribbing from his acquaintance, the sixth-year lanky Slytherin roughly grabbed her by the arm and led her into one of the private rooms. The door slammed shut behind them. He released her before clenching his hand into a fist.

"If you ever make an insinuation like that again, Sinistra—"

"You know, you can end this, Severus. You just have to say three little words."

"Fine," he replied, grinding his teeth. "I hate you!" he snarled, emphasizing each word.

Her face didn't even drop. In fact, there wasn't any visible reaction in her face that showed she heard him. There was nothing.

"Sinistra?" he said quietly. "Aurora?" he then whispered.

"I apologize, Severus. I shouldn't have done that just now in front of Rosier. It's not quite safe anymore to make those types of jokes in front of some people in our House."

"Some people in our House?" he repeated.

"You know," she responded with her voice barely above a whisper, "Death Eaters. I should've thought about that before I said anything. Last thing I want to do is draw their attention to you. They belong to it, Severus, your friends Rosier and Avery. I saw their Marks the other day." She then turned her back to him and wrapped her arms around her chest. "While I won't even understand how you can be friends with them, I won't be like Evans. I won't tell you whom you can and can't be friends with, Severus. I trust you more than that to use the right judgment and not join them."

Her husband sighed. He then glanced towards her, grabbing her hand again.

"I was grateful to hear you say that," her husband quietly said.

"I know," she replied softly, kissing his lips the same time her younger self kissed his younger self's cheek. She then wrapped her arms around him and glanced at their younger selves.

"You should stop doing that, Sinistra," the sixth-year Severus softly grumbled.

"I don't think I will, Severus," responded the fifth-year Aurora playfully. "All of my kisses are finally wearing you down. I can see it in your dark mysterious eyes." She then leaned in closer to him before whispering in his ear, "You want me."

"You wish," the young man replied with a slight growl. When he watched her take a step closer to him, he noticed her smile widen as they stood chest to chest.

"I see. Then that must be your wand in your pocket, right, Severus?"

Without another word, the young witch calmly walked out of the room and headed towards her own dorm. However, when she opened the door and caught the book lying on the edge of her nightstand, she groaned. She had meant to give that to him earlier.

"Dammit," the young woman muttered, snatching the book and walking to the Slytherin boys' dorm. She opened the door and walked in before stopping in mid-step.

"I was so . . . enraged when I saw that on your forearm," Aurora softly said to her husband.

"Yes, I believe I caught that," he replied, watching the anger in the fifth-year's face.

"YOU BASTARD!" the young witch screamed, whipping her long silver wand out and sending a black spell at him in the matter of mere milliseconds. Her hex slammed against the lanky, raven-locked Slytherin, sending him flying backwards against the wall.

"For the record, I didn't mean to cast that spell," Aurora stated with a sympathetic wince.

"And for the record," he deadpanned, "that spell hurt like hell."

"I'm sorry, Severus," she apologized, glancing at him with a soft smile. "Had I known what I know now, I wouldn't have cursed you." She then winced at her words. "Well, that wasn't necessarily a curse in the first place, but you know what I mean."

"Oh, yes, I know exactly what you mean, Aurora." His dark eyes then fixed with hers. "You wouldn't have hurled conjured knives at me."

Before she could respond, though, her younger self snarled, "You don't deserve this kindness." She then banished the conjured knife that had pierced his left shoulder, sending him to the floor with a loud thump. Her slender fingers quickly shoved his hand away from where he had been applying pressure to his wound. A moment later, the young witch sealed the wound magically, making sure she didn't heal him whatsoever.

"How could you?" the fifth-year witch snapped, glaring. "How could you join that . . . evil?"

"I was very upset with you," Aurora said, feeling the need to inform her husband of the obvious.

"I should hope so," her husband drawled. "Otherwise, I'd have wondered about the knives."

"You wouldn't understand, Sinistra," the young man responded with a slight growl as he noticed the tears streaking down her ashen cheeks.

"You're right, Severus," the young witch said, standing up and wiping his blood into her robes callously. "I wouldn't understand. I wouldn't understand why you of all people wanted to become a murderer and a rapist," she snarled viciously.

"You recalled the rape when you saw my Mark, didn't you?" her husband asked quietly.

"Yes."

Releasing her hand, her husband walked towards their younger selves. After gently wiping the tears from the younger witch's eyes, he spread it across his younger self's Dark Mark. As if drawn on by a quill, the ink in the Dark Mark instantly smeared. He then conjured a blue hand towel and ran it gently over the blotch, removing every last ink stain.

Another silver framed picture materialized out of thin air, falling gently onto the bed. She silently grabbed it and glanced at the picture. Her lips curled upwards before she softly laughed.

"What's the picture this time?" her husband asked, walking back to her. When she held it out to him, his dark eyes immediately dilated and his lips then turned upwards. "Oh, I see," he said mirthfully.

In the picture, lying on top of green-and-silver bedding was a very naked Aurora, who was using Severus's shoulder as a makeshift pillow as she rested on her side. Her left arm was draped across his torso with their legs tangled together. Wrapped around their feet was the silky green sheet, clearly leaving nothing to a person's imagination of what had occurred previously in the picture. If one added on top of that the little bite marks that covered Aurora's body, well, it was pretty obvious then.

The hypnotic eddy appeared then, sucking the Slytherin dorm scene before spitting forward a darkened clearing where there was a gathering of dark robed wizards. A harsh crack then resonated around as a black-robed figure apparated. The others instantly fell to their knees and bowed to the approaching figure.

"Lucius," hissed Voldemort a second later. He then laughed evilly when the blond stepped forward before he dropped to a knee without a word. "Has your understudy arrived yet?"

"He has, my Lord," replied the blond.

"Is he eager, Lucius?"

"Very much so, my Lord," answered the would-be Malfoy patriarch.

"Excellent," drawled Voldemort before he gave a short laugh. "Well, don't keep me waiting, Lucius. Where is this brilliant young man that you've told me so much about?"

"Right here," announced a familiar raven-haired young man as he quickly rose to his feet.

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen today," responded young Severus.

Aurora narrowed her eyes on the fifth-year as he addressed Voldemort. She saw no fear in the young man's face. In fact, to her, he seemed almost relaxed. She then glanced towards her husband and caught his annoyed sigh.

"I'm surprised that he allowed you to address him in such a way, Severus."

"Keep watching," he simply replied.

Her eyes then turned back to Voldemort and the fifth-year young man. Voldemort seemed to be biding his time with his soon-to-be initiate. Of course that was his way so it wasn't really all that surprising. But the fact that he hadn't punished the Slytherin for disrespect yet was definitely so.

"You have a year then before you are of age," Voldemort said, feigning a friendly tone.

"The Trace has been lifted off me. So in the Ministry's eyes, I am of age," replied the fifth-year.

"Indeed?" said Voldemort with a brief look of hunger in his eyes. "Tell me. What reason was given for the Trace being lifted on you?"

"I broke it while at Hogwarts. The Ministry is none the wiser."

"How?" asked Voldemort, narrowing his eyes on the young man.

"You'd be surprised what you can find in the Restricted Section."

"Ah, yes, no doubt," chuckled Voldemort.

"If you doubt me, sir, you may have one of your followers who works in the Ministry check me." The fifth-year then took a step forward as if to challenge Voldemort.

"I don't believe it," Aurora softly mumbled. "You were being a—"

"It was not one of my proudest moments," her husband interrupted with a heavy exhale.

"How did you know that he had a Ministry official?" she then asked.

"If one wished to bring about chaos and destruction, one would need someone in the government relaying information that could prove vital to success," he replied quietly.

"So it was a guess," she stated, glancing at him.

"More of a calculated thought," he countered.

"Why are you here?" Voldemort asked curiously.

"Because I wish to join your cause of eradicating all of the filth that has collected in the Wizarding world since the war with Grindelwald," answered the fifth-year emotionlessly.

"Muggles, you mean?" drawled Voldemort before he chuckled darkly. "What is your name?"

"Severus Snape," the fifth-year responded within seconds.

"Hmm, not a pureblood then, are you?"

"Unfortunately," said the young man through clenched teeth.

"Ah, so you're a half-blood then."

"I'm a better wizard than nearly all of your current recruits from Hogwarts, and I perhaps could even beat some of your followers in a duel," snarled the raven-haired Slytherin.

"Oh?" questioned Voldemort with an amused look. "Then perhaps a duel is in order, Severus." His eyes then glanced towards one of his followers. "Marlowe," he called out. He then chuckled softly. "If you defeat him, Severus, then I shall accept you."

The sixteen-year-old nodded slowly, walking into the middle of the circle. He showed no fear as a middle-aged, large, muscular wizard stepped forward with a bone-like wand already drawn. The young man observed the traditional pleasantries, bowing and such, before he gracefully went to his stance.

"Begin," Voldemort said.

As soon as the 'n' was pronounced, a jet of light shot out of the fifth-year's ebony wand without a word being said. The curse slammed hard against the experienced Death Eater, leaving a deep gash against the man's throat that bled profusely. Another jet of light flew out of the ebony wand, wrapping invisible ropes around the older wizard's torso. The fifth-year then raised his hand up, snatching the man's wand when it flew to his outstretched hand.

Aurora's mouth dropped as did a lot of Death Eaters'. Her head then whipped towards her husband. Wandless magic at that magnitude was rare. Add on top of that him being only sixteen, and well, that made the entire thing unheard of.

"When we were ten, Lily and I learned we were rather proficient in wandless magic," her husband softly explained. "During my years, I honed in on that obviously." He then sighed. "My wandless magic proficiency, however, did no good when it came to Potter and Black."

"They had you on the defense when you're clearly a better offensive caster."

"Perhaps," her husband simply replied.

"I am most impressed, Severus," drawled Voldemort as he approached the fifth-year. He then clapped a hand to the young man's shoulder, staring down at the young man with a soft smirk. "I could use a young man with your skills." Chuckling softly, he stepped back. "Bare your arm, Severus."

Without a drop of hesitation, the sixteen-year-old pushed his long black sleeve up and held his arm out. The tip of Voldemort's wand then pressed against his left forearm, searing into the pale flesh a black skull with a snake slithering out of the skull's mouth. Clenching his teeth, the young man held back his pain-filled yells.

Voldemort stared at him with a downright disturbing look on his waxy face. He clearly seemed thrilled to have the young man in his ranks now. Though, anyone would after witnessing that duel. But Severus's refusal of crying out from the pain made him just that much more valuable.

"Excellent, Severus," hissed Voldemort with a downright disturbing look on his face. A moment later, he pulled back his wand from the now angry-looking Dark Mark burned into the young man's pale forearm. "You could learn a few things from our new initiate." His eyes then caught Severus's gaze and seemed to be attempting to stare right through him.

"Legilimency?" asked Aurora.

"It was his way of discovering the true followers from the traitors," her husband replied. "It was the longest migraine I've ever had, in addition to be the most painful. However, I was deemed worthy."

"Your father will be coming soon, won't he?"

As if on cue, an already bloodied Tobias Snape appeared, bound and gagged in front of young Severus and Voldemort. The Muggle clearly was enraged beyond belief, but the restraints held him. A few minutes later, his screams filled the air as his blood soaked the earth.

Magically yanking the badly disfigured Muggle to his feet, the sixteen-year-old Death Eater sneered, "You don't deserve this." With his ebony wand just underneath the man's throat, the young man held the almost limp man. Slowly, he brought the man closer to him so that their hooked-noses were nearly touching. "_Avada Kedavra_," he snarled, casting his first ultimate Unforgivable. After the large Muggle's lifeless body slammed hard against the cold, unforgiving ground a moment later, he glanced down at the man with a nasty sneer. His eyes now were black as night and as cold as a winter morning after a large snowstorm.

"I cannot help but wonder what that Muggle did to you to cause that much anger to come out during his punishment, Severus," drawled Voldemort. He then glanced callously towards the dead Muggle before glancing back to the young man. "Who was he?"

"The bastard that unfortunately impregnated my mother to create me," answered the sixteen-year-old obediently with what seemed to constitute as a respectful tone.

"Your fat—"

"Do not call him that!" snapped the young Slytherin. "He was no father of mine!" A moment later, the young man's back arched backwards as pain etched every bit of the Slytherin's face. The curse then was released, and the youth was on all fours, panting heavily before Voldemort.

"You will address me as your Lord now," hissed Voldemort as he ran a long, pale finger down the young man's cheek. "You best remember that, Severus." He then lifted his finger up, which rose the young man up magically, too. Leaning in, he whispered in the youth's ear, "Lest you desire another lesson of this, young man." He then chuckled softly at the Slytherin's forced impassivity. "Now you are learning," he said with a smirk, releasing his spell on the young man. "You are angry. I can see it in your mind, Severus. There is so much anger in you." He then sighed. "However, you are correct. I should not have done that just now. I apologize, Severus," he said smoothly. "Being raised by a Muggle has left a serious gap in proper Wizarding etiquette. I must remember this in the future." He then smirked. "Do not worry, Severus. I am well aware of the setbacks you face ahead of you." His eyes slowly narrowed on the young man. "Tell me. Is what I saw true? That you never experienced a single birthday party?"

"I have not, my Lord," the young Death Eater replied, gingerly bowing his head.

"Ah, well, you are family now, Severus," Voldemort loudly announced before clapping the young man's shoulder again. "We shall throw you an extravagant party. After all, you are a person to be cherished as are your gifts, not feared. I too was like you and am feared by the public constantly for the slanderous remarks made by that old crackpot Dumbledore." His eyes then glanced towards one of his Death Eaters. "Retrieve a gift from Hogsmeade for our young initiate." He then turned back to the young man under his wing so to speak. "Tonight, Severus, you will experience everything a young man at sixteen should." Voldemort chuckled. "Lucius," he called out.

"Yes, my Lord?" the blond said instantly, dropping to a knee.

"You shall ready young Severus here for his special night."

"Yes, my Lord," the aristocrat responded, glancing towards the young man.

"Enjoy yourself tonight, Severus, and know that you shall always be one of us here after," Voldemort spoke calmly, walking away to speak with another of his followers.

"Aurora," her husband softly said, gently reaching towards her.

"I'm fine," she responded, waving off his concern. "As odd as it is to say, I'm actually sort of glad that it was you." She then swallowed back her emotions. "I mean, it could have been Lucius or Mulciber or even the Dark Lord himself, but it wasn't." She then scoffed, feeling the tears slide down her ashen cheeks. "Thinking about who else it could have been, I can't help but feel grateful that-that it was you. And I know how horrible that sounds, but that potion Bellatrix gave me or maybe it was Lucius, whichever, it made it so I couldn't fight back, so I couldn't say no." She then inhaled deeply to regain some sort of control. "You-you didn't understand that I wasn't a willing participant. They altered my appearance, and they likely made sure that it was so dark in that damn place so you wouldn't know that I was drugged or even my true identity." She then swallowed again. "At the time, you just thought you were making love to some witch, not that. You didn't know that until much later."

"In other words, I was naïve."

"We all were victims of naiveté at some point during this damn war, Severus."

"And what was yours?" he asked very quietly.

"I laid my trust in a man that used people like pawns." She then sighed, closing her eyes. "Of course, Albus's Wizard chess with real people is over with now. However, I still remember his scheming, his meddling, and his plans, all of it from before. I remember the day he asked you to return to spying for him again, and I remember the day you came back all bloodied to a pulp without a drop of magic in you. I remember the look of horror in people's faces when a raid went awry, and I remember the cheers from people when it went good. He used people for the greater good, just like Voldemort used people for the greater evil."

"Are you suggesting that we choose a new godfather/grandfather for Angel then, Aurora?"

"No," she replied instantly, glancing at her husband. "For all his meddling and scheming, he is the main reason we're both alive today. After my-my attack, I wanted to kill myself. However, he wouldn't let me. He with Minerva both helped me gain some sense of normalcy again." She then sighed. "On a raid once, I was surrounded by three Death Eaters. I was holding my own for awhile. Somehow, though, Albus noticed another Death Eater slinking up behind me." She gazed deeply into her husband's eyes. "I didn't notice the man until he had grabbed me from behind. Albus sent a wide range of spells towards him to get him to release me before finally having to resort to killing the man. For all his manipulation and that, he protects those that he loves fiercely."

"So, we chose him because he protects fiercely?"

"While you were missing, he took great care of me. He made sure that I ate regularly, that I went to my appointments with Pomfrey, that I was doing everything I should for Angel and I. He took me under his wing I suppose you could say." She then scoffed. "To this day I still can't decide if he's a good man or if he's not. He has this sort of grandfatherly look to him that just forces you to trust him with your life. However, like I said, I remember how you were treated by him."

"People change, Aurora."

"I know, and people grow up." She sighed, shaking her head. "But I can't just forget things like that, Severus. I want to. I really do, but I'll always remember his using of you."

"You feel that way because of your fondness for me."

"Is that the only reason?" she quipped, glancing at her husband in amusement. A moment later, she drew in a breath when she looked away. Her tongue then gently moved across her slightly parted lips as she stared at the sixteen-year-old Death Eater in front of Voldemort. Shaking her head, she slowly walked over to the young man, gently tracing the reddened Dark Mark on his alabaster forearm with her fingertips. Little by little, the skull transformed into a cauldron, while the snake slowly slithered above it to become steam rising.

When she heard the thump of the picture frame against the ground, she said nothing. She just waited patiently, knowing that her husband would bring it to her to see. She smiled at him as he held out the silver frame a moment later.

"It's a boy," she quietly said, staring at the picture of her holding a baby as Severus stood beside her. They didn't look that much older than they did now. Her eyes stared at the picture for a moment, taking in the look of pride on Severus's face. She then softly laughed, thinking how idiotic she was being with wondering why he was so proud. Every father dreamed of having a son.

Dark blobs slowly invaded the clearing then, washing away their surroundings. Aurora just stood there, knowing that this would be the last memory they'd experience as one. Idly, she wondered what memory it would be, but she, quite honestly, didn't really care what it would be. Severus was by her side, and that was all that mattered in her eyes.

Noticing the curly-haired fifteen-year-old on the sofa turned away from the gathered students in the Slytherin common room, Aurora briefly closed her eyes. She should have known it would be this memory. It was perhaps the darkest moment of her life. Well, other than her attack, that was.

"Those filthy little Mudbloods won't know what hit them," a sixth-year girl said, giggling with her friend as they walked past the withdrawn witch.

"I know. It won't be long now," replied another sixth-year. "Oh, Liz, by the way, did you hear about the Bones family? Tragic, wasn't it?" the witch said, clearly not having a shred of kindness in her.

"Yes, well, frankly, they deserved it in my opinion," Liz drawled haughtily.

The curly-haired witch on the sofa whirled around and stood instantly, glaring at the two girls. Her rich brown eyes were ablaze with anger, and her lips were thin and white. Her fingers curled into her palms as she clenched her teeth.

"That family was slaughtered, and you're laughing about it?" the fifteen-year-old snarled, shoving one of the girls to the floor. "What if it was your family, Lizzie? Would you find it funny then?"

As Lizzie quickly scrambled to her feet again, her blue eyes glared at the curly-haired witch. Slowly, her face transformed from anger into a vicious look of glee. Her lips then curled upwards.

"Unlike some families, mine chooses the winning side." Lizzie took a step closer to the young witch. "Tell me, Sinistra. What side is your family on?"

"I don't speak for my parents if that's what you want," the fifteen-year-old snarled back.

"Fine then, Sinistra!" Lizzie snapped. "What side are _you_ on?"

"The winning side," the young witch replied.

"So you do then value the Dark Lord's beliefs," Lizzie said, smiling.

"You mean his ideals on the purification of the Wizarding world?" The fifteen-year-old scoffed. "No, Lizzie, I don't believe in any of his pureblooded prejudicial crap he feeds people." She then forced a nasty smile to her face. "Personally, I think anyone who believes that then makes a troll look like it's a genius. Then again, I forget about your father, Lizzie."

"Oh, really?" the witch snapped back.

"Oh, yes, you see, I forget about his unusual cravings for Muggles. Hmm, it's of no wonder why he's a Death Eater then, is it?"

"You take that back, Sinistra!"

"No. I don't think I will." The fifteen-year-old then laughed when Lizzie drew her wand. "What? You're going to attack me in the middle of the common room in front of everyone just because I told the truth about your father, who is likely in the bed of his Muggle mistress."

"I'll kill you, Sinistra."

"Somehow, Lizzie, you don't scare me."

"Like you said, though, my father's a Death Eater. I'm rather certain that he'd—"

"He'd what? Follow orders like a good lackey?" the fifteen-year-old retorted. She then scoffed, laughing harshly. "Personally, I think Voldemort is a coward. He sends people like your father out to do his dirty work while he sits back on his arse, watching everything from the comfort of his quaint cottage." She paid no attention to the gathering crowd. "If he was a true Dark Lord like Grindelwald for example, he'd involve himself. Well, that is unless Voldemort really isn't all that powerful to begin with and is just a coward who suffers from grand delusions of his might and magical strength."

"Well said," her husband drawled, glancing at her. "Though, it was not very intelligent, Aurora."

"Yes, Severus, I believe I learn that painful lesson," she replied back. Knowing what was coming, she refused to wince sympathetically at her younger self. Her husband was right. Saying that in the middle of the Slytherin common room after curfew was extremely idiotic.

A seventh-year brunette slammed hard against the brave but idiotic fifteen-year-old, sending the witch sprawling onto the cold stone floor. A Silencing charm and Body Bind later, the brunette and her friends then yanked the young witch to her feet again before hexing and beating her as severely as they could, all the while yelling obscenities. Once they had rendered her unconsciousness, the brunette, the leader of the other girls, glanced towards a seventh-year wizard.

"We need someone to take care of her," the brunette said quietly to him.

The seventh-year nodded slowly before he walked over to a figure obscured by the crowd. He didn't speak with the other person very long. In fact, once he yanked the unconscious witch from the brunette's arms, he handed the witch over to the figure, giving quiet orders.

The figure nodded once before dragging the badly beaten witch outside of the castle and down the path to the front gate. As soon as the two reached it, the figure sighed softly, gently brushing back a curl from the witch's bloodied and colored face. Silently levitating her with a wand, her head knocked accidentally against the gate from the shakiness of the castor. Transfigured from nearby ivy, cast iron chains slowly then snaked their way around her wrists and ankles, effectively binding her to the cold iron. The metal dug into her of course, leaving nasty red marks.

The young witch moaned softly, slowly moving her head against the bars as she slowly regained consciousness. A few seconds later, her head came up, and her eyes fell on the figure. A sense of extreme somberness passed over her bruised face as she stared back. Coughing harshly, she attempted to speak to the figure.

"Reg," the fifteen-year-old witch rasped.

Aurora instantly caught her husband's violent jerk. She closed her eyes in response. After all, what was she supposed to say to him? That no, that wasn't Regulus Black or Reg as she typically called him, her friend, her classmate, that has been the one to tie her to that damn gate.

"He was the one who—"

"Don't," she snapped, whipping her head towards her husband. "Just watch, Severus." Her eyes then went back to her younger self tied to the front gate as Reg's wand was in his trembling hand.

"Oh, shut up," someone growled, waving a hand at the witch to silence her magically again. "Good job, Black. I had wondered if you were the right man for this job, but you didn't disappoint me. I'll put in a very good word for you at our next meeting." Soft chuckles then echoed. "If there are any werewolves or vampires around in the Forbidden Forest, they're surely going to feast on you." A loud scoff then was heard. "Enjoy your night, Sinistra."

A red jet of light then struck the witch in the chest, making her scream silently. Exactly fifteen seconds later, the young witch's body went limp, and her head lolled to the side with her eyes closed. Blood trailed down her body, dripping onto the cold ground as the two wizards whirled around and left.

The front gate with her tied to it quickly vanished and was replaced by a small clearing in a wooded area with numerous headstones. Kneeling in the soft earth was the fifteen-year-old witch littered with bruises and marks all throughout her body. Tears streamed down her eyes as her hand pressed against a marble headstone.

"Why are you crying?" asked her husband as he glanced towards her with a confused look.

"Because I miscarried," Aurora softly answered, frowning. "Which I suppose was one way to deal with the fact that I was fifteen at the time and pregnant," she said bitterly. "Though, I bet that was the sick bastard's intention in the first place." She then clenched her teeth, glaring at her fifteen-year-old self. "I mean, Pomfrey gave me that damn potion that was supposed to ensure that something like this wouldn't happen. I took it, too. And look where that got me."

"Aurora," he started to say.

"No, Severus, you can't make any of this better." She then shook her head angrily. "For two decades, I've pushed this damn memory out of my head. I didn't ever want to remember it. Though, that's probably another reason that this damn ritual brought it up. This is likely the saddest damn thing I've ever experienced."

"Or anyone else for that matter," her husband offered.

"I realize it's ridiculous," she said, glancing at him. "But I could deal with the rape. Not well, mind you, but I could get some understanding behind it. Voldemort wanted to make sure people lived in terror and feared him. So he used his Death Eaters to exercise his control over the population, knowing no person would say a word against him out of fear that he'd send his Death Eaters either to rape or kill the person." She then pointed at her younger self. "I couldn't deal with that, though."

"Why?"

"Because I was the reason it died," she snapped. "I was no better than a Death Eater." Her body trembled slightly from her withholding her intense emotions. "I killed an innocent life, Severus. I killed something so pure, so damn good—" She instantly cried into his shoulder when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly against his chest. She relished the feel of his embrace as he held her. It was as if he was taking all of her pain away, which she knew he wasn't.

"I love you, Aurora," he quietly said, taking a hesitant step back from her. Her husband watched her for a moment before he pressed a tender kiss against her lips and then wiped the tears from her eyes. When he seemed sure enough that she wouldn't leave, he slowly turned around and approached the younger Aurora. He then drew in a breath before kneeling beside the crying teenager. Gently placing a hand on the young witch's abdomen, he reached back and placed another above Aurora's hand on the headstone. The letters slowly jumbled around for a moment before finally saying 'Aria Sinistra-Prince.'

"Why did you do that?" she asked, staring at her husband.

"She's a part of me, too." He then sighed at her attempt to argue. "There's no reason for you to carry all that guilt all alone." He kept his hand on the headstone as he spoke. "She's also our daughter, Aurora. We might not have gotten a chance to know her, but she is our flesh and blood."

"No," Aurora replied through tears, shaking her head. "No."

"You were fifteen, Aurora. I doubt I need to inform you of this, but fifteen-year-olds are not supposed to go through what you did, especially not alone." He then sighed softly. "You said it yourself earlier, though. You've been repressing everything about this for years because it's too painful for you."

"Stop," she begged, sobbing softly. "Please, Severus, stop."

"You feel guilty for something that others did." He pressed forward, knowing she needed to hear it. "They had a choice, Aurora. They had the choice of allowing your comments to pass. They didn't choose that, though. Instead, they decided to physically attack you. And in doing so, it resulted in the unfortunate miscarriage of our child."

"She's not ours!"

"Why?"

"She's not ours," Aurora repeated, trying to cease her sobbing.

"Because she was the result of a—"

"SHUT UP! Just shut up!" she screamed. She then wrapped her arms around herself, glaring at him. "She's not ours. She _can't_ be ours."

"Because it hurts too much for you to think about that," he said quietly. "You think that as long as you think of her as being someone else's child that it won't hurt you so badly, but it is, Aurora."

"No," she stated fiercely.

"Then prove it, Aurora," he replied, staring at her. "Place your hand on this grave marker and then tell me that it doesn't hurt like hell." He watched her take a step back. "You say you trust me, but you're not acting like you do." He then drew in a breath. "Trust me."

"No," she cried, taking another step back from him.

"Aurora, please," he said, watching the tears streak her ashen cheeks. "Trust me."

Shaking her head, she took another step back, wrapping her arms even tighter around herself. She couldn't. She did trust him. She trusted him with her life, but she just couldn't. The tears silently fell as she saw the brief flicker of emotion in his eyes that she knew was likely sadness.

"I-I can't," she cried, not noticing that she had taken a step forward.

"Trust me, Aurora. Please," he pleaded. "Please just trust me." He watched her shake her head as the tears streamed down her cheeks. "Please, Aurora," he said quietly.

"What-what if it hurts?"

"Then I'll be here with you, sharing your pain and holding you and never letting go," he replied fiercely. He kept his hands right where they were, one on the younger Aurora's abdomen and another on the headstone, even though he desperately wished to hold a hand out to his wife so she could use it as a lifeline. He gave her a soft smile as she took baby steps towards him. It was difficult. He knew that, but two decades of left behind pain scarred one's soul. He knew that better than most.

"I-I," she started to say, just a few inches from him.

"I know you're scared, Aurora," he softly said, holding his gaze with her. "Please trust me." He then smiled a bit wider towards her as she took one more step. "Good. Now place your hand right here," he instructed, speaking to her as one would to a small child. He saw her fear as she stared back at him. "I'm not leaving you, Aurora. I'll be right here beside you."

Closing her eyes, she sniffled before shaking her head slowly. She hesitantly reached a hand out, trembling uncontrollably as she did. When her hand connected with the smooth stone a moment later, she drew in a deep breath. She felt… nothing. Gently moving her hand against it, she then started to feel something deep within her stomach rising to the surface. Her eyes slowly trailed over to the headstone, making her choke back her sobs instantly as she caught the engraved words again.

It, her child, her beautiful baby girl, _their_ baby girl was buried here in this family cemetery. Letting her fingertips gently caress the smooth stone, she felt as if she was connecting with their lost child for the first time. Her sobs rolled out of her then. This was her daughter, _their_ daughter's grave.

Sinking to her knees, she stared at the words, shaking horribly. However, strong, loving arms slowly encircled her waist as a calloused hand was gently placed atop of hers. Her rich brown eyes glanced at the hand, knowing already that it belonged to her husband. She leaned back against him a moment later, allowing her fingers to fall to her lap. Both of his arms were now around her, holding her gently against him to protect her from all the pain and hurt.

"This is our family now," her husband said behind her quietly, bringing up a familiar silver picture frame in hand. "That's you and me and Angel and the boys. We all love you so much. In fact, it's to the point that we're never ever going to leave you alone for a second, Aurora." The picture then altered, aging everyone and adding more people to it. "And I am to assume that this will be our family in some distant possibility." He then pressed a kiss against her cheek, pulling her into him even more. "There we are, all silver haired and all," he said with a laugh. "Draco and Miss Granger and likely their child are there." Pressing another kiss to her cheek, he drew in a shaky breath. "And that's Harry with Miss Lovegood and their possible children. That's our Angel with some man that might likely be her husband some day."

"And those are," she started to say, swallowing when her voice cracked unexpectedly.

"Likely our other children," he finished, pressing a kiss against her again. "But look at us, though, Aurora. Do you see it? We're smiling. We're happy. Do you see it?" He forced a soft laugh when he felt her nod against him. "Do you know why?"

"Because we have one another," she whispered, resting her arms atop of his.

"Yes, as we are always going to have," he replied, kissing her cheek again. "We've also overcome the horrors from our past as one, Aurora, which has made us, I expect, stronger as a couple. No person should face what we did, but look at this happy people. Their wounds have healed, leaving only a small reminder of the pain that once was there." He then sighed, bringing her even closer out of a desire to be as near to her as possible. "They've watched their children grow up, seen the ups and downs that brought, and seem to be proud grandparents now. That's why I imagine they're so happy together."

"True joy no one has ever experienced before comes out of sorrow," she whispered.

She said nothing as darkness engulfed her family cemetery. She just stayed in his arms, allowing him to soak up all of her pain. Narrowing her eyes a moment later, she stared at the advancing light.

"Forged from thy fire," a timeless voice poured from the light.

"Sealed in by thy blood," said a feminine voice, sharper and more abrupt than her male equal.

"Shattered bonds, nevermore," the man's kinder voice continued.

"Bound by thy hearts and minds forevermore," the two voices chanted as one, creating a wondrous melody as if the couple's tones fit together perfectly.

The light then exploded much like how a star would supernova every now and then. The brightness bathed the couple, flooding them with warmth few ever experienced. Sounds of bubbling then echoed around in the intense radiance before gentle whispers caressed them, calling them back.

"They're regaining consciousness," a familiar voice murmured somewhere close to Aurora.

"Can you tell if there's been any permanent damage yet, Poppy?"

"If you'd kindly stop interrupting me," the mediwitch replied, extremely annoyed, "I'd inform you, _yet again,_ that I've found nothing to indicate any such damage to either of them."

"You're certain, Poppy?"

"Yes, Headmaster," snapped the mediwitch. "I'm certain."

"They've been unconscious for three days because of that substance, though, Poppy."

"I'm well aware, Albus," she retorted, clearly angered even more by his constant questioning. As if a first-class Spanish bull preparing for the annual Running of the Bulls, she exhaled irritably a moment later. "However, none of my diagnostic spells found anything that suggests otherwise."

Someone then sighed before resting a hand against Aurora's shoulder. "Unfortunately, we haven't discovered anything at this point, one way or the other." There was another sigh. "But if you're correct, then whatever it was did not mean them any harm." Fingers gently brushed back a few stray curls from Aurora's face. "They've so far completed three out of the five rituals. Let us hope when they exchange vows that nothing occurs out of the ordinary." A tender kiss then pressed against the younger witch's forehead as her brown eyes fought to remain closed. "Sleep well, Aurora and Severus."


	17. Affirming Their Love

**Affirming Their Love**

Soft talking near her slowly woke her from her slumber a few days later. However, the minute she opened her eyes, she immediately closed them again since the light from the torches in the room hurt. She moaned very quietly, turning her head to the side. Once more she attempted to open her eyes. This time, she forced them to remain open and slowly sat up, only to roll onto her side and promptly sick up onto the floor afterwards.

"Shh, Aura, it's okay," a kind voice spoke through the sleepy haze. A rough, calloused hand soon joined the voice and gently rubbed circles onto her back soothingly.

When she rolled onto her back again, she glanced up to see the person who was helping her. She gave a weak smile to her dad, schooling her disappointment expertly. She should have known that it wasn't Severus. Though, that led her to wonder where he was.

"Dad," she rasped. She sounded likely as bad as she looked.

"I'm here, baby girl. Now, just hush."

"Baby girl?" she repeated with a short laugh followed by a groan in response to the sudden wave of nausea. To say she felt like crap was an understatement. She felt worse than crap. Her head ached horribly as if someone had repeatedly slammed her head against a wall. She felt terribly nauseous, nearly retching any time she moved. "You haven't," she swallowed back the bile that had gathered in her throat, "called me that in awhile, Dad."

"That's because you haven't needed me to treat you like my baby girl in awhile, Aura," he said, gently brushing back her wild curls. "Now, just hush. Otherwise, you're just going to feel worse."

"Where's—" Seconds afterwards, she shot up in an attempt to move towards the bathroom to reach the toilet, refusing to sick up onto the floor again as another bout of nausea overtook her.

However, the moment she took a step towards the room, she fell forward towards the floor. Strong arms quickly wrapped around her waist and pulled her into the room towards the toilet. She kneeled over it within seconds, expelling more of the clear gooey substance. She moaned, leaning back against him when she was convinced nothing else was in her stomach. When he held out a potion, she took it wordlessly and drank it. The nausea lessened somewhat. Her eyes then glanced at the black marble bath on the other side of the room. A bath sounded so wonderful right then.

"How 'bout I run you a nice warm bath, hmm?" her dad said, keeping his arms snug around her.

"No offense, Dad," she said, "but I'm almost thirty-five now. I'm not a little kid anymore."

"I know you aren't, Aura. But I know exactly how you feel, well, not exactly. I was a bit more like Severus is right now up in the Hospital Wing, but I know nonetheless."

"He's in the Hospital Wing?" she repeated quietly, leaning her head back to glance up at her father. Her heart constricted painfully in her chest as her mind flooded with horrific thoughts. "Dad, what's wrong with Severus?" she asked, staring up at him. "Please, Dad, tell me."

"Well, let's just say that he's having a bit rougher time than you are, Aura. He'll be fine, though. Syra has offered to help Poppy and Albus out with him, you know, to make sure he recovers all right." Orin then gently kissed her cheek. "There's no need for you to worry, baby girl. You'll both be right as rain in a few hours." His response, however, only caused her to delve further into panic.

"Why am I not with him in the Hospital Wing, Dad? Why am I down here?" The edginess in her voice was clearly apparent as she spoke. "Dad, what's wrong with Severus? Why is he having a tougher time than I am?" When he shook his head to refuse to answer her, she growled, "Dammit, Dad, answer me! What's wrong with him?"

"I brought you down here because your symptoms are the same as they were when you went out with Septima that one night to raise a little hell at that pub in London, Aura," he replied, glancing down at her. "It just feels like a real bad hangover for you. Now, Severus, well, I doubt I need to tell you that he's had a rough life, Aura. And I'd bet the manor that nobody gave a damn about him when he was sick or whatnot when he was a child, so his body and mind just isn't what yours are."

"Maybe it's this damn pounding in my head, but I don't understand, Dad. What does his childhood have to do with him being ill now?"

"The severity of his symptoms is a result of his rough life, like his being a Death Eater, along with his probable neglect as a child growing up. Now, I'm just guessing here, but I doubt he had enough food to eat living with Eileen and that Muggle. Children, however, need a certain intake of nutrients to keep them healthy and maintain their immune systems. So, I'd assume with how bad he was when I left with you to bring you down here that he never reached that necessary intake of nutrients, making his immune system weaker."

"Then he'd catch every little cold the students get, Dad," she argued, ignoring her pounding headache. "He doesn't, though. I don't even think I've ever actually seen him ill."

"He's a Potions Master, baby girl," her dad quietly said, resting his chin against the top of her head. He then sighed softly. "I bet he brews himself some sort of potion and drinks it every day to ensure that doesn't happen. And before you ask, Aura, no, I have not researched the effect of neglect on a child. I just overheard Poppy and your mother talking to Albus about it right before I brought you down here," he answered. "Now, I'll run you a bath. You just sit here for a bit as I do." He quietly went to his knees for a moment, kissing the top of her head, before standing tall and walking to the tub.

"I want to see Severus, Dad," she quietly said, watching him as he fiddled with the taps.

"Not possible, my dear," Orin replied just as soft.

"Why?"

"It's bad luck for the bride to see her husband on her wedding day, Aura."

"Who said anything about that, Dad? I sure as hell don't feel like having one now."

"Now, I know you're not feeling up to it right at this moment, but you're just going to feel like this for a couple of hours. Then you'll be back to your usual self. Both of you in fact will be. You just have to get over this little hiccup. In fact, it's early enough that you two might be able to exchange your vows tonight." He caught her glare instantly, which made him turn away guiltily. It was after all easy for him to say. He wasn't the one that felt so ill. "Now, the Ritual of Affirmation follows the traditional albeit old customs of a wedding ceremony. So, you can't see Severus until you two are exchanging your vows. I know that you hate that, but that's how it has to be, Aura."

"Let me talk to him then, Dad."

"He's in no condition to be talking right now, baby girl."

"Then I'll do all the talking." When her dad frowned, she quickly pushed forward, not allowing him to get a word in edgewise. "I'll stay behind the curtain. I promise, Dad. I won't look at him. Just let me stay there with him."

"Aura, I understand your need to be with him, but Severus is in good hands."

"Dad," she pleaded, staring at him with tearful eyes. "Please." She watched her father stare at her for a few moments before he finally sighed and hung his head.

"All right," he conceded, turning off the taps. "I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you."

"Merlin knows you wouldn't stay here if I had told you no. You've always been like that. Once you get something in your head, well, you'll do anything to make sure you do it then. That, my baby girl, you get from your mother." He quietly walked back to her, gently pulling her up to her feet and placing an arm around her waist to keep her steady.

"I feel like one of your newborn foals, Dad," she said, after nearly falling to her knees again as they walked towards her bedroom.

"I've noticed," he replied with a soft laugh. "Reminds me of that time when you had the flu and nearly fell down the stairs. It was the only time I remember you and Syra not fighting." He then helped her ease herself onto the edge of the bed. "You always were stubborn like me, weren't you, Aura?" Brushing back a stray curl, he stared at her for a moment before kissing her forehead. "Now, just stay there for a moment while I go talk to the lovely ladies in the Hospital Wing."

"Dad," she softly said, grasping his wrist to stop him. "Was this supposed to happen?"

"You and Severus feeling like crap, you mean?" When she nodded, he sighed. "Well, your mum and I felt the same way when we married in the old way. I felt worse, though, but that was just because of my brief stint being in Grindelwald's service." He silently shook his head with a remorseful look. "There's something about being touched by the Dark Arts that makes that last ritual a bit harder to handle. But I'll tell you this, Aura. It'll make Severus feel pure again. At least, it did with me."

"The Shadow or whatever it was already did that, though."

"It likely purified his external signs like removing his Mark. This, however, does the internal also. You see, Dark Arts leaves a visible scar on a person's core. You cast it enough times, and, well, you ruin your core from the inside out. It's been known to happen."

"You think it's healing his core?" She caught her dad's eyes dart to the floor for a moment before he glanced up and sighed.

"One of the memories you saw was your miscarriage, wasn't it?" When she opened her mouth to respond, he held up a hand with a faint smile. "Now, don't go asking silly questions like how I know that, Aura. I'm your father. There's very little about your life that I don't already know." He then sighed. "Just like I know how you got that scar on your left forearm."

"You knew?"

"Well, I didn't know the details at the time, but when I saw that on your arm I did," he explained. "Not too many people go around carving that sort of symbol in their arm for the hell of it. Add that on top of your sudden fierce hatred of Death Eaters, well, it wasn't too hard to figure out what they did to you, baby girl."

"Dad, I'm—"

"Don't apologize," he replied, cutting her off. "I figured you'd tell me when you were ready to. That's why you chose Min and Albus, though, isn't it? Because they already knew," he said quietly.

"Yes," she answered softly.

"Well, let's go see if the ladies are all right with you being up there." He flashed a soft, sad smile before wrapping an arm around her waist to help her up again.

"Dad, it'd probably be easier if you just picked me up at this point," she said with an awkward laugh. "After all, it isn't the first time you've carried me today."

He nodded, bending down and scooping her up into his arms. As he walked towards the closed bedroom door, he chuckled quietly. His face was full of amusement.

"What's so funny, Dad?"

"Well, I believe it was just five minutes ago that you said you weren't a child anymore."

"Oh, hush," she said with a soft smile. She then remained quiet as they walked down the darkened corridor towards the sitting room. The minute they walked into the room, though, she noticed her three children, staring at her from the sofa.

"Mummy's going to see Daddy," Angel replied with a fit of giggles.

"That she is, sweet pea," Orin responded, chuckling. "I take it you three terrors will stay here while I take Aura up to the Hospital Wing, yes?"

"Yes, Grandpa, we'll be good. Won't we, Harry and Draco?" the little girl asked, grinning at her older adoptive brothers.

"Yeah, we'll be here, sir," Harry quietly answered.

"Good choice, gentlemen. I'll be back shortly." Orin then walked into the unlit fireplace and tossed a handful of floo powder down, shouting their destination a moment later. As soon as they arrived in the Hospital Wing, he walked out and towards the main area. "Poppy," he called out. He smiled guiltily when the mediwitch stepped out from behind a privacy curtain with her hands on her hips, glaring at him.

"Orin Sinistra, did I not explicitly state the last time you were here that you are not to shout like some buffoon in my Hospital Wing?" the matron said angrily.

"You might have mentioned it once or twice, Poppy," he replied with his most charming smile.

"Might have mentioned it, _might have_," she mumbled, shaking her head in clear annoyance. "Well, set her down over there," she instructed, pointing to a spare cot beside the closed privacy curtain. "I'll see to her in a moment." He did as she commanded instantly.

"Actually, my dear, there's no need. She just wanted to talk to my soon-to-be son-in-law. Now, Syra, don't give me that look," he stated when his wife walked from behind the privacy curtain then. Her cold sapphire eyes glared at him, piercing his very essence. "Our daughter has given her word that she will not attempt to circumvent the curtain."

"And you believed her, Orin, like usual," Syra replied with a short laugh.

"It's not that different from when we were in the same situation, Syra," he reminded.

"Fine," Syra snapped. "If she believes that her mere presence shall make him better, then I won't say otherwise. Now, if you'll excuse me, I do believe I've wasted enough of my time here. After all, with Aurora here now, our miracle worker daughter, he'll be back to his usual self in no time." The curly blond witch then whirled around before she angrily stormed out of the main area of the Hospital Wing.

"And that was all without me even having said a word," Aurora quipped, glancing at her father.

"Yes, well, she's likely rather cross because whatever she's been trying hasn't worked."

"You're still making excuses for her after all this time, Dad," she replied, shaking her head.

"Don't make me regret bringing you here, Aura," he said, ignoring her last statement. When she didn't respond, he sighed and gently pressed a kiss against her forehead before walking out of the room.

Turning her head towards the curtain, she sighed. She didn't even know if Severus was awake. She hadn't heard anything from him, but she guessed that he was, judging by the look on Pomfrey's face. Unfortunately, though, she didn't know what to say.

"Well, I'll leave you two alone for a bit. I'll be right in my office, though," Madam Pomfrey said with a look between her and likely Severus. Her footfalls then echoed towards her office.

"I'd ask you how you feel, but according to Dad, you feel worse than I do." She then paused, waiting to hear something from him. She only heard silence, though. "I wish I could see you." Her eyes then narrowed when she heard something scrape against the stone floor. "Severus?" she quietly said, glancing at his unmoving silhouette. "Are you all right?"

_No,_ a faint voice whispered in her mind.

At first, she dismissed it, assuming that her mind was now playing tricks on her. But when she heard the voice again, she stared at his shadow, unable to form a clear thought. The voice in her mind sounded a bit like his, but this one sounded drained and barely perceptible.

"Severus, I-I don't understand." She heard him groan softly as his shadow showed him rolling onto his side. "Are you doing that? Am I hearing you?"

_Yes_, the faint voice in her mind replied. It sounded as if every word was sapping more energy.

"How?" she asked, staring at his silhouette in disbelief.

_Close your eyes,_ the voice responded with a low, pain-filled groan.

She closed her eyes just as the voice instructed, trusting it to be Severus' words. She inhaled in and out calmly, waiting for something. Slowly, she smelled the scent of fresh flowers and heard the sound of a trickling nearby stream. Birds chirping then filtered into her mind followed by a bright light, bathing her in warmth. Her brows then furrowed in confusion when she felt familiar calloused fingers lacing with her own.

"Open your eyes, Aurora."

As soon as she did, she gasped. Severus now stood directly in front of her with a smile tugging the corners of his lips with some sort of paradise scenery behind him. She couldn't help but laugh softly, wrapping her arms around his neck. She could see him now.

"Are you doing this?"

"So it would seem," he replied quietly. "Though, I am unsure of how I am."

"It is so beautiful here, Severus," she said, glancing around.

"Yes," he simply responded.

"Dad says that we'll be back to normal soon."

"Ah," he said, nodding slowly with that playful smirk threatening to take over.

"Now, why do I get the feeling you don't really care?"

"Perhaps because I don't really care," he replied with a chuckle, brushing back her long curls with his free hand.

"I'm in your mind, right? Or are we sharing this—whatever this is?"

"I'd imagine it's our minds sharing the same illusion."

"Well, I'll admit. This link thing could be fun," she said, shyly smiling at him. "I mean, I feel and likely you do too like utter crap out there in the real world, but in here we're fine."

"Yes, but I doubt you and I could stay here forever without some sort of side effect."

"Hey, you're the one who brought me here."

"I know." He then sighed. "I felt your mind earlier. It was as if you were searching for me."

"Well, I doubt that ritual taught me Legilimency or you somehow passing it onto me, Severus."

"This isn't Legilimency," he replied quietly. "This, whatever it is, is much stronger, much more potent. For example, one cannot do this in Legilimency." He waved his hand flippantly at her, smiling a moment later when her outfit changed into a black halter top and black leather pants with black knee-high boots. "I cannot alter anything in one's mind so freely. I am merely supposed to be an observer." He then waved his hand back at her, changing her clothes back.

"This is how it was like in the ritual, though. We were sharing that too."

"Yes, I had thought of that also."

"So then this could be some sort of residual effect from it?"

"Or this is the mental binding that the ritual was to create," he quietly said. He then gave her a small smile. "If this is temporary, then so be it. If not, then I welcome the ability to speak with you wherever you are." He held both of her hands, rubbing his thumb gently against the back of them. "You are truly beautiful, Aurora. I doubt you've heard that enough from me, but you are."

"You're not so bad-looking yourself, Severus," she said with a soft laugh.

"The war has aged me, unfortunately."

"But there's not a speck of gray, though," she pointed out.

"Yet, but it'll be coming shortly I'm sure." He then sighed, letting the silence settle in.

They stared at one another for quite some time. Neither of them moved. They just looked into one another's eyes, breathing slowly with a sense of tranquility about them.

"We should go back," she whispered, not wanting to disrupt the peace.

"Yes," he simply replied, letting go of her left hand. "We should," he said quietly, gently moving his fingers against hers in small, caressing motions.

"Severus," she whispered, staring at him with her familiar warm smile. Her smile then widened when he stepped closer to her. A moment later, his free hand gently caressed the side of her face before he leaned in and tenderly brushed his lips over hers. She closed her eyes out of pure instinct, kissing him back before feeling something brush against her mind mere seconds later.

The chirping birds nearby in their shared dream slowly morphed into sound of a quill scratching against a parchment somewhere off to Aurora's left. The gently trickling stream became a potion being poured into a cup. The warmth was still against her face with the smell of flowers still hovering near her.

"Aura, open your eyes." Her dad's voice filtered in. "Come on, Aura. Open your eyes."

She did as he instructed, blinking owlishly a moment later as she regained consciousness again. The first thing she noticed upon waking was that her headache was gone. In fact, she actually felt loads better. Just as her dad had said she would. The second thing she noticed was the familiar pale hand that had somehow slipped in between one of the slits in the privacy curtain in order to reach her. Her eyes trailed down the long alabaster skin, smiling openly when she saw that her fingers were laced with the outstretched hand.

"Yes, Aura, that's Severus," her dad said with a disapproving sigh. "And for the record, baby girl, that's seeing him."

"Just his arm, Dad," she replied, smirking.

"It's still seeing him, Aura."

"So ground me, Dad," she said with a laugh.

"Baby girl, grounding has never worked with you."

She rolled her eyes when she heard the definite snort from Severus from the other side of the privacy curtain. As if his own mother didn't have cute little nicknames for him. She then sighed, frowning. Knowing Eileen, he probably didn't.

"How are you feeling, Aurora?" Madam Pomfrey asked, glancing down at her.

"Better than before," she answered honestly.

"Feeling up to a wedding then?" a soft voice spoke with a definite grin behind it. "Because as your honorary maid of honor, I do believe we have a lot of work to do before you can get married to that hunk of a wizard. I mean, we have to find you a dress, get you all dolled up, get all the guests here, and buy something that makes all the ladies swoon at the sight of Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome there."

"Who made you the maid of honor, Septima?" Aurora retorted. "I sure as hell didn't."

"Oh, please, I've been your main choice for maid of honor for years. We all know that you'd rather go to your grave than ask Sybill or even Charity. Not to say that you don't like Charity, I just know that you two haven't gotten along since that time she accused you of being anti-Muggleborn."

"Anti-Muggleborn?" repeated Orin and Severus simultaneously.

"It was a simple misunderstanding, gentlemen," Aurora replied. "Charity just misheard and misunderstood my meaning about something I had said in the staff room."

"And just what did you say exactly?" asked Severus quietly.

"I said that not all Muggleborns deserve to be praised for having magic. Had she allowed me to continue before she started calling me every name in the book and then some, she would have heard me state that Muggleborns should be considered the equal to purebloods because it makes no difference what one's blood purity is in terms of one's magical education. In fact, studies have shown time and time again that with proper education, anyone: pureblood, half-blood, or Muggleborn can achieve their maximum potential magically speaking."

"Well," Septima said with a wide grin, clearly wanting to change the subject to more exciting things, like a wedding. "Since we got that all cleared up again, how about you and I go shopping, Aura? I know the best bridal boutiques there are. There's—"

"Septima, you don't need to go through that long list of boutiques to prove that you should be my maid of honor. You already are." Aurora then glanced towards the closed privacy curtain, gently squeezing Severus's hand. She softly laughed when he returned the gesture a second later.

"So, can I spring her yet, Poppy?" Septima said, doing a beautiful impression of a child in a toy store picking out her best toy.

"She wasn't in my care to begin with, Miss Vector."

"So, is that a yes then?"

"Yes, Miss Vector," replied the mediwitch with a sigh. "That is a yes."

"Amazing," the Arithmancy professor exclaimed before whirling on the curly-haired witch. "Come on, Aura. Get up. Get up! You're wasting valuable time here. We have a wedding to prepare."

"Why do I get the feeling I'm going to regret this?"

"Maybe because you're going to regret it?" offered Severus from the other side of the curtain.

"Septima, please," she said with a sigh, "nothing too outrageous."

"Outrageous? Aura, please, some doves, maybe some shooting sparks, a champagne fountain, possibly a nice ice sculpture, and likely something else are not outrageous. They're a necessity."

"Septima," Aurora replied with lots of restraint, "please don't make me regret this."

"Trust me, sweetie. The only thing you'll regret is not asking me to do this sooner. Now, come on. We're wasting daylight. There are only so many hours in the day—wait—are you wanting a nighttime wedding, like say dusk—or better yet—midnight when the moon is the brightest? Yeah, you'd like that I'm sure."

"Septima," she said very quietly.

"Ooh, the moon likely would help make both of your complexions fit right in with everyone who doesn't hide from the sun like you two do."

"Yep, I'm regretting it," Aurora muttered under her breath.

"Now, Aura, don't be like that. Once I get you all dolled up, well, you're going to thank me, your best friend and most awesome maid of honor ever." She clearly ignored the snort from behind the curtain. "I mean, do you realize what I'm working with here? The groom likely has never been in the sun in his life and wears the most depressing colors in the world instead of showing off his extreme, well, attractiveness. And the bride, well, she is grayish like someone zapped the color out of her. This isn't going to be easy. I mean, if we left the color choosing to Severus, we'd have a black wedding that would depress the hell out of everyone, making them expect someone to die at any moment." She then thought on that for a moment. "Hmm, well, I suppose we could do a nice Slytherin wedding. After all, it is the Head of Slytherin marrying his reserve." She then laughed at the strangled sounds from both the bride and groom. "Oh, please, like you're the only subordinate in the history of this place that has ended up in the bed of her superior. I can think of two other cases, and that's just off the top of my head. Now, come on, Aurora. You're wasting valuable time."

~Family~

A few minutes before eight, the last guests filtered into the large Great Hall that now had rows of pews instead of its usual four tables for seating. The bewitched ceiling held a celestial nightscape with twinkling stars, brilliantly colored nebulas, and of course the occasional shooting star or two. The green and silver majestic banners of Slytherin hung regally above the guests, waving gently in the soft breeze. The ceremony officiator, a gray haired witch, stood at the front of the room on the raised platform in dark green robes, looking out at the guests with a rather neutral expression on her face.

"I still don't understand why you'd want me of all people to officiate this wedding, Albus," she softly said, glancing towards him a moment later.

"Forgive me, Amelia, but you are a Ministry official."

"Yes, I am, but surely they'd better be suited with someone like you officiating."

"I have no legality to do so, my dear," he replied quietly.

"That arrogant arse still hasn't reinstated you yet?" she grumbled. "I'll bring the matter up before the Wizengamot then when I return from my leave. Surely, we can find some way to circumvent his foolish stubbornness." She then sighed quietly. "Where is the bride and groom anyway?"

"Receiving last minute advice from their in-laws I believe," he replied with a soft smile. His twinkling blue eyes then glanced towards the large closed doors, sighing softly with a look of content.

~Family~

In an antechamber off to the side of the Great Hall, Aurora stood in front of a full-length mirror, staring at her reflection. Her smile reached all the way to her ears it seemed. Septima clearly was the right choice for maid of honor. Even though, they had spent all afternoon bickering with one another about Septima's outlandish ideas for this wedding. But Aurora had to admit that there was no way that she herself could pull all this together as quickly as Septima had.

On the bed of her long dark curls, which had been pulled back and twisted in order to form a slightly off centered bump, sat a single white calla lily. Not long enough to be pulled back, two uneven curls on either side framed her ashen face. The rest of her raven locks had been tamed—which was quite a feat anyone would say—into loose ringlets that cascaded over her pale shoulders, just barely touching the top of her strapless gown.

While hardly traditional, the Dartmouth green dress was undoubtedly meant for a bride. Pulled tight just under her bust with an intricate green and silver ribbon, the loose top sat just over the curves of her chest. Under the ribbon on the left side slightly behind her hip, an unusual pattern of silver jewels twisted and splayed out, growing larger until reaching mid thigh where it split in two and circled to meet in the back. Pulled up to clasp in the sequenced spilt, the gratuitous green material exposed her silver laced underskirt.

"You truly look amazing," a voice spoke behind her.

Aurora's dark eyes glanced up at the mirror, sighing when she caught her mother-in-law in it. She had promised Severus long ago that she'd play nice, and she intended to keep that promise. So, instead of snarling at the woman to get out, she smiled softly towards her and slowly turned around to greet the older witch.

"Thank you, Eileen."

"Well, I shall not take up too much of your time." She then exhaled softly. "However, I wished to speak with you before you made your vows with him."

"I won't hurt him if that's what you're concerned about."

"Yes, I am aware of that notion of yours." She closed her eyes for a moment before shaking her head. "Forgive me for asking, but do you love him?"

"I do, Eileen."

"So you would do anything for him?"

"I would."

"Then do not do this, Aurora. Do not marry him. You will only cause him pain."

"I won't, Eileen. I swear on my oath that I won't hurt him."

"Do not misunderstand me, Aurora," she said, raising a hand. "I know now that you'd never intentionally hurt him. However, you will not be able to control yourself when you are with him."

"With all due respect, Eileen, you are wrong."

"Perhaps," she replied with a soft exhale. "But it is more likely that you are being naïve." She then held up her hand again to cut Aurora off. "I understand your words and your thoughts. But can you say with absolute certainty that you won't hurt him even if it is accidental?"

"Yes, Eileen, I can say with absolute certainty that I won't hurt him. If you'd like, though, I'll make an Unbreakable Vow, right here and now. I won't hurt him."

"It is not necessary," she quietly spoke, glancing away.

"I'm not the monster you think I am, Eileen." Tears silently fell down her ashen cheeks as she stared at the witch. "If it makes you feel better, if I do hurt him even by accident, I'll leave him."

"Words make no difference, Aurora."

"Then what can I do, Eileen, to make you believe me?"

"Prove me wrong, I suppose," she answered softly, glancing up at her again. "If you prove me wrong and do not hurt him, then I would have no choice but to believe you."

"I'll do it. I'll prove you wrong. I swear on my oath that I will, Eileen."

"And I will be waiting for that, Aurora," she quietly said. "But until then, I cannot have anything to do with you or your family." She shook her head softly when Aurora nodded in response, pressing her lips tightly together. "You must understand. I am not a bad person, not truly."

"You're just a mother who's afraid that she'll lose her son," Aurora said with a silent laugh, wiping the tears away. "I can understand those thoughts and fears, Eileen. I'm starting to get those same fears with the boys. But I won't hurt Severus."

"Please, just listen, Aurora. I nearly lost his father one night. I was three months pregnant with Severus at the time. Toby went to the pub to get away from me and my hormones likely. However, it became late so I went out looking for him." Eileen then inhaled a shuddering breath. "I found him in a darkened alleyway near the pub on his knees with your mother and her damned fangs deep within his neck, draining him of his life. When I saw you that first time, I found you to be like any other tramp, wanting him only because of what he is. But you see, Aurora, that night is the night I remember when I look at you now, knowing whom your mother is. I cannot help myself when I am near you anymore. Forgive me, but you will soon represent the same thing that took his father from me." She shook her head, trembling just barely. "Toby was never the same after that night. He drank more and more, likely to forget his encounter with your mother that night. And soon the alcohol wasn't enough so he likely moved onto harder things, just to forget. When that wasn't enough, he took his anger, his pain, out on me and later Severus once he was old enough to walk and talk."

"Why didn't you leave him, Eileen? For your son's sake at the very least," she said.

"When Toby first struck me, I reasoned with myself and said I'd stay because I loved him, that I had caused it by making him angry with my constant badgering," she stated, staring at Aurora. "The next time that he struck me, I decided to leave and packed. Toby learned of it, though. How, I shall never know. He struck me numerous times and slammed me against a dresser. Had it not been for Lady Atal's interference, I would have miscarried Severus. She saw something in my child that I did not yet know, saving his life in exchange for me serving her when the time came. She would check on me every now and then, each time placing a hand on my stomach and telling me how strong my child would be. But Toby became worse, though, more violent as time passed, drugging me with some clear solution to make me weak, docile, unable to fight back at times. It soon became a ritual. I'd fight, and he'd inject me with whatever it was." She then glanced away. "My magic could not fight it."

"You loved him?"

"Oh, yes, I truly did love him when we first married. He was kind and gentle, excited to know that he was to have a son with me. However, your mother ruined him that night and turned him into that monster. There is no other explanation for that sudden change." She then shook her head. "Lady Atal came to me one day, and I informed her of my fears about Toby. She stated that he would do nothing when the time came to leave Severus. As I was unfortunately indebted to her for saving my child's life, I could not afford to think otherwise. When he was nine, she returned to see the progress I had made while teaching him the necessary subjects he'd need to rely on."

"Did you know then? Did she tell you that he'd be a pivotal part in the war?"

"No. I did not know his part, only that he would play some key role."

"Have you told him any of this about Tobias or your dealings with Lady Atal?"

"No. And I don't ever wish to, Aurora. As you yourself have seen, he believes me to have abandoned him as a child, and he is right."

"But it was under force."

"Yes, but he will not see it that way." She then glanced back. "All of this is superfluous, though. None of that will make me change my mind about you, Aurora. But perhaps it will make you understand why I feel the way I do." She slowly inhaled. "Will you now release your claims on my son?"

"I'm sorry, really I am, but I can't do that, Eileen. I love him."

"Then there's nothing more to say." Whirling around, she walked towards the door to leave, only stopping when Aurora called her back. She, however, didn't turn back to the younger witch.

"I am not my mother. I promise you that I'm not." Aurora waited for her mother-in-law to say something, anything, but there was only silence. "Eileen, please believe me. I'm not Syra. I won't do that to him. I would never hurt him. Please believe me." When the older witch slowly turned around and glanced at her, she stood still.

"I wish I could, Aurora." Eileen then turned back and walked out of the room.

When the door opened a moment later, Aurora glanced towards the entryway. She frowned immediately as Septima walked in. However, her frown wasn't in response to Septima's maid of honor dress. The dress in her opinion was truly gorgeous.

Septima wore a full-length silver strapless dress with an ornamental emerald-colored belt around her waist. Situated directly in the middle of the top was a V-shape cutout with a tiny sliver of forest green cloth peeking out underneath. Further down and starting just under the middle of the belt, a split in the silver material grew larger as it reached the bottom of the skirt, exposing the dark green underskirt.

"Uh-oh, I know that look," Septima quipped. "What'd Eileen do this time?"

"She doesn't want me to marry Severus. She thinks I'll hurt him."

"Do you think you'll hurt him?"

"No, of course not," Aurora immediately answered, glancing at her best friend.

"Then forget Eileen and her fears," Septima replied. She slowly walked towards her, grabbing Aurora's hands in her own a moment later. "Sweetheart, you love Severus tremendously. You'd never hurt him, intentionally or otherwise. Hell, we all know that. So just forget about Eileen, and go out there and marry the man you've fancied for decades."

"What if she's right, though, Septima?" she asked quietly, hanging her head.

"Do you love Severus?"

"You know I do."

"Do you want to hurt him?"

"Of course I don't."

"Then there's nothing to worry about, Aurora. You won't hurt him. No matter what this damn thing your mum gave you is supposed to do, you won't hurt him. I know you won't, and I'd bet that Severus does too. So, just put it out of your thoughts and marry him already."

"Fine," Aurora sighed.

"After all, this sickness thing that's going to happen to you, well, it's supposed to happen tomorrow, isn't it? Or at least, that's the theory, right?"

"Yes."

"Well, Aura, you have only four hours before then. That's cutting it rather close, you know."

"Point taken, Septima," she said with a laugh. "I'll get out there before some of our poor students learn that Severus isn't the vampire of Hogwarts." The two women then laughed loudly before they walked out of the antechamber into the corridor with wide grins on their faces.

A moment later, Orin spoke, moving from the wall he had been leaning against. "Thank you, my dear, but I'll take her from here." He then lightly shooed Septima away with a playful smile, sighing when he was alone with his eldest. "I shudder to think how much you spent on that dress, baby girl."

"It cost a paycheck or two, but I can handle it, Dad," she answered. "Is Severus in there?" she asked, motioning with her hand towards the closed doors to the Great Hall.

"Last I knew," he replied. "Well, according to your soon-to-be-dead maid of honor, your husband cleans up rather nicely."

"Oh, tell me she didn't," Aurora said, laughing while covering her eyes. "Sometimes I wonder about her, Dad." She then removed her hand and stared at him a moment later. She wanted to tell him all her fears before she walked in, but didn't know how. If she were honest with herself, she'd realize that she mostly just wanted her dad to tell her that everything was going to be all right. It seemed as if he knew that, though, without her saying a word.

"Shh, baby girl," he said, embracing her. "I know." He rubbed her back for a few moments, taking a step back when she seemed to be calmer. "He's a very good man, Aura, and he is placing all of his trust in you. In the end, that trust between you two is going to make all the difference. I'm sure of it."

"Thank you, Dad," she whispered, kissing his cheek a second later.

"Now, shall we, Aura?" he asked, holding out an arm. He chuckled softly when she linked arms with him and inhaled deeply. "You look absolutely stunning in that dress, baby girl. You're surely going to take his breath away." He then waved his hand at the doors, escorting them both in once they opened.

As she progressed down the aisle, her eyes darted between the rows of people. It was as if Septima invited all of London to the wedding. So much for a small private affair, she thought. Her eyes then looked forward, making her shyly smile as her eyes met the familiar mysterious black onyx. Severus looked positively handsome in his emerald robes with silver trim. She kissed her father's cheek once more after he silently placed her hand in Severus's.

"No frock coat?" she teased softly as they turned to their wedding officiator.

"I was informed by your maid of honor that it didn't match the color scheme," he replied with a thin smirk, staring straight ahead. His fingers laced with hers yet again and gave her a gentle squeeze.

"We are gathered here today to witness the joining of these two individuals, Severus and Aurora, in blessed matrimony," Amelia Bones loudly announced throughout the silent hall.

In the back of the room, Eileen stood in the shadows, watching her son. When she heard the ill-fated words 'I do' from both Severus and Aurora later, she closed her eyes and walked out. It was over.


	18. Renewal's Finale Fixed

**A/N: **Contains explicit descriptions of their wedding night, so you're forewarned.

**A/N2:** Thank you so much to anonymous reviewer Toby for pointing out my obvious mistake with a comment Snape makes. Seriously, whoever you are, I love you right now. I had wrote Snape saying that what he felt for Aurora paled in comparison to Lily. I assure you that is not what I meant, though. I apologize for that. Sometimes when I'm writing, my meaning comes out backwards than what it should be and I don't catch it rereading through. Sincere apologies. What I meant is Snape saying that he loves Aurora more than Lily. Toby, I don't know if you'll read back through this, but everything you said was right. So the reason it didn't make sense with Aurora's character is because I wrote that line backwards. Snape still loves Lily, yes, which he states is likely because she was his first love and one doesn't get over that. However, he loves Aurora more because they've come so far through the series and been through so much together. And he shows this time and time again, I hope. Again, apologies for my stupidity in writing that line. I've fixed it now. Thank you, anon reviewer Toby, for pointing out my stupidity.

**Renewal's Finale**

Aurora smiled widely as she felt Severus wrap an arm around her waist while people continued to congratulate them. Truthfully, she had thought at least a dozen times of running off with him to their quarters to complete the last ritual. However, she stayed like any good well-bred pureblood would, smiling and thanking her gracious guests for showing up, not knowing who the majority of them were.

"Best of luck to you, my dear," Arthur said, kissing Aurora's cheek and shaking Severus's hand.

"Now, don't worry about a thing. Arthur and I will make sure the children are well taken care of while you two are enjoying your honeymoon," Molly said joyously.

"Thank you, Molly," Aurora replied, hugging the red-haired witch. Once the Weasleys had moved off, she glanced towards her husband. She hadn't remembered asking them to watch Angel and the boys. She then sighed. "Septima," she muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Actually, Aura, it was me," her father said, walking up behind her. "Syra and I have some business to attend to in Paris that came up rather suddenly I'm afraid."

"Is everything all right, Dad?"

"Everything's fine, Aura," he replied, shaking his head. He then glanced towards Severus and held out his hand. The two men were very cordial with one another as they shook hands. "Welcome to the family, Severus." However, when Orin clapped him on the back a moment later, Severus noticeably flinched. "I know you'll treat her well, son, so I'm not going to waste your time, telling you something you already do." His rich chocolate eyes then fell on his daughter. "I want you to know, both of you in fact, that Syra and I will always be here for you. You can firecall us whenever, no matter the time."

"Thanks, Dad."

"Well, if you two had some sense, you would be off." He then chuckled when he caught both of their looks towards the remaining crowd. "How about I stand in for you two? After all, you only get married once I say." His rich, hearty chuckles rained down as they opened their mouths to retort. "Go! I've got this covered," he said, shooing them towards the door. "After all, greeting people is sort of my specialty, you know." Once more, he pushed them towards the doors, smiling when they quickly left.

~Family~

An hour later, the bride and groom arrived at their destination. Nearby, the waves crashed rhythmically against the pristine sandy beach they walked along. They held hands and smiled softly as they headed towards a small one-story stone building. The place they were at was utterly peaceful, and they'd surely both agree on that.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught her husband glancing at her. She noticed the contemplative look on his face before he suddenly released her hand and scooped her up into arms. She shrieked unfortunately, but quickly closed her mouth a second later, knowing that it was foolish to scream. She felt him chuckle softly against her as he carried her towards the building.

When the front door creaked open after he turned the knob, she bit her bottom lip, wondering and hoping that he was taking her straight to bed. He of course didn't disappoint whatsoever. They walked straight through the small sitting area and into the bedroom of the place. Her heart instantly pumped faster in anticipation, nearly bursting from her chest when she saw the silk lined bed in front of them a moment later. He gently set her back down onto the floor, turning her to face him.

"I'm not ready," she said breathlessly, staring into his dark eyes.

"To make love?" he asked with a soft smirk.

"Well, a woman has to ready herself, Severus," she replied, hoping he didn't already know her little surprise for him that she had picked out earlier while shopping. Even Septima hadn't seen the surprise. When his eyes trailed down her body, she felt chills rush down her spine.

"You can ready yourself later," he said a moment later. "After all, the point of this little ritual I believe is to ensure a pregnancy, not to prevent one. Am I mistaken?"

"No," she whispered. On second thought, her surprise could wait. They had time.

Glancing down at her, he waited until she nodded before he gently pulled the calla lily out of her hair, setting it onto the nightstand beside them. He then slowly took out the numerous hairpins that had tamed her unruly dark curls one by one, placing them into the bowl on the nightstand. To say it was agonizing was a huge understatement. It was pure torture. Once finished with that task, he carefully removed her long dangling diamond earrings, setting them beside the lily. He then undid the tiny clasps on her two diamond bracelets, one for each wrist, placing them with the earrings.

"Are you going to remove my wedding ring also, Severus?" she teased. Exactly two seconds later, she whimpered softly as he pressed feather light kisses against her fingertips.

"No," he whispered, ticking her slightly. "You are to wear that ring at all times." His fingers then lightly trailed up and down her arm, making him chuckle when she closed her eyes and swallowed a moment later. "I am accurate in my assumption that you are not wearing a bra, correct?"

"You are," she answered, trembling slightly.

"And your dress fastens in the back by silver lace, yes?"

She didn't trust herself to speak this time. She knew her voice would likely squeak if she did. So she nodded numbly, staring at him with wide brown eyes. She then looked straight ahead at the wall as he glanced around her to inspect the lacy situation.

"Hmm," he said thoughtfully, pulling back with a frown.

"Is something wrong?"

"No," he replied, glancing into her eyes again. He then took a step closer so that they were chest to chest. His hand went behind her back then as his eyes remained staring into hers. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes," she answered without a second of hesitation. She then heard a click from something behind her back, making her narrow her eyes on him in confusion. When she heard the sound of fabric ripping against a sharp knife, her knees went weak. He was cutting each row of lace one by one. After the fourth shredded lace broke, her corset top fell forward, exposing her breasts to him. Her mouth was open as she stared at him in shock.

"I'll buy you a new one," he said with a soft chuckle, continuing to shred the lace with his blade. A few moments later, he closed his switchblade before placing it on the edge of the nightstand. He then crouched down in front of her and grabbed the excess material before giving it a big tug downwards. With the tattered dress now pooled at her feet, he stood and gently helped steady her as she stepped out of it. His eyes then trailed down and rested momentarily on her only remaining garment.

With a green decorative naughty bow in the back, her white lacy thong was attached to her stockings by green garters. She hadn't thought it possible, but his eyes definitely darkened as he followed the lace, then down one of the garters, and finally drinking in her slender stocking legs.

"Are you, um, planning to cut that off me too?" she asked, ignoring the sound of her out of control heart beating so loud.

"No," he said barely above a whisper.

"Oh," she replied, not noticing the disappointment that had crept into her voice. "Then what will you do to me?" She swallowed when his eyes darted to her own before he rewet his lips again, breathing very slowly through his nose. "Severus?" she softly said, staring at him.

When he suddenly dropped to his knees onto the floor, she gasped, not expecting that. She stared down at him, wondering what he was going to do. Luckily, she received her answer when she felt something, well, wet against her leg where one of the claps to her garters was. Her eyes then narrowed, hearing a soft grunt a moment later followed by one of the clasps opening. He was undoing them with his teeth! That sent more shivers and excitement throughout her body. When he had finished unclasping each garter from her stocking, he glanced up at her with a devilish smirk.

They had two hours before midnight, and based on the smirk she saw on his face, he was going to use those two hours as pure sweet torture. She felt the horrible redness that flushed her cheeks as he knelt in front of her, looking up at her with that damn sly smirk of his. What that man could do likely would make a troll sing an aria beautifully.

Severus then ran his hands from the top of her stockings to her knee, where he forced her knee to bend and rest atop his strong shoulder. Running his hand down the rest of her leg to her ankle, he unsnapped the clasp holding up the four bands around it. One hand remained supporting the lower part of her leg, though, while the other cupped the back of her silver heel and tugged it off. Aurora was dimly aware of the sound her heel made as it clattered to the floor. She felt her knee tremble as he placed a soft kiss to her inner thigh before his hands slid back up her leg, this time maneuvering it into a standing position before he repeated the process with her right.

A moment later, she bit her lip to keep from moaning as he slowly rolled her stockings down one leg at a time. His hands were gentle as always, making her naked skin feel ablaze when his fingers touched it. The parts of her untouched by his fiery fingers, however, were left wanting and needing. It wasn't long before gooseflesh appeared as a shudder quickly overtook her. He then pressed once more a kiss against her inner thigh, blowing gently across the damp area. She couldn't hold back her moan this time as her body shook, nearly sending her to the floor. He chuckled in response, glancing up at her with that same damn smirk.

"Hmm, what should we do about these?" he asked, hooking a finger underneath the waistband near her hip.

"Well, u-unless y-you plan o-on, um," she said in a shaky voice. Her words then faltered as his finger moved just a bit to the left.

"Yes?" he drawled, cocking his eyebrow slightly upwards.

"S-shagging me, um, t-through the, um—" She released another moan, arching towards him as his finger moved just a bit more to the left.

"Please, Aurora, do continue."

"T-through y-your c-clothes," she said, shaking horribly.

"Hmm, you do bring up a valid point. I'm fully clothed, and you're, well, not," he replied, smirking. "I'll rectify this immediately." His finger that had been inside her waistband was removed instantly followed by him standing and banishing his clothes. He chuckled when her mouth dropped. "Was that not what you wanted?" A strangled sound came out of her throat as she stared at him. "Perhaps that wasn't necessarily fair on second thought." He then stepped even closer to her and leaned down, barely touching her lips with his own. "Then again, life isn't fair." His voice then lowered into dangerous territory. It was a tone he rarely used, if ever. "Aurora," he said, chuckling softly when she whimpered and moaned in response. "You enjoy it when I say your name, don't you?" When she replied with a whimper, he frowned for a moment. "Answer me," he commanded firmly.

"YES," she cried, covering her mouth a moment later with a widening of her eyes.

"Lie on the bed," he commanded, staring down at her with intense black eyes boring holes into her very soul. She did the first command without a question. "On your stomach, Aurora," he growled softly, watching her as she rolled over. When she finally stopped squirming, he silently walked to the bed, slowly crawling in beside her. He brushed her curls to the side, bending over her and pressing feather light kisses against the back of her neck before trailing down her back. He smiled as he heard her soft moans of pleasure as he did this. "You see, it's all about control, and right now you're giving me it, trusting me with your very life." He then felt her shudder underneath his lips. "And later, I shall be the one to trust you with my very life. You'll be the one in control then, and I'll be like you, soaking it in."

"Can't, um, now?"

He chuckled at her inability to speak, pressing a series of kisses against the middle of her back. His fingers then gently trailed up and down her, producing a series of mews from her. He only smiled, drinking her in one kiss at a time.

"Is that what you want?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," she cried, shuddering underneath him.

"Do you understand what I'm saying, though? That right now, you're in the same position that I'll be in when it takes over in a few hours. I'll be the one trusting you then."

"I-I do," she whimpered, nodding fervently. "Y-you trust m-me not t-to h-hurt you." When he gently touched her shoulder, she glanced up at him through the fog of lust, rolling onto her side.

He lovingly placed a hand behind her neck, urging her to sit up, which she did. His lips then brushed hers, causing her to deepen the kiss to seek out his unique taste. She felt his lips quiver when she lay back against the pillows, moaning into his mouth as his hands roamed all over her body only to fondle her breasts finally. As his swollen, erect member took over, he instinctively positioned himself in between her slightly parted legs, forcing them wider as he moved closer. She then felt his finger slip underneath her waistband again, twisting it painfully tight this time. He stared straight into her eyes, seemingly drinking in her every reaction before he yanked on the waistband. She winced against his lips as the material broke, but sighed as she was freed from the last offending item that separated them.

Her legs then instinctively wrapped themselves around him, seeking him out. She moaned when he gave in and gently entered her. Her hips instantly arched up off the bed, drawing more of him inside. She didn't know how to describe it, but she wanted all of him, and she wanted it all right then. Her hands moved to his back a moment later, pushing against him, urging him to go deeper. He, however, refused, stilling inside her. His refusal only made her more frustrated, though. Didn't he understand?

She felt his sweet kisses against her neck, but it didn't distract her enough. She moved herself against him, attempting to hit his reflex. He only chuckled against her, whispering that she had to be patient. Well, she didn't want to be patient! She had waited twenty-four years already. She wasn't sure if she could wait another moment.

His kisses soon turned into him nipping lovingly. She cried out a few times, not because it hurt but because she hadn't expected that. He'd nip, then kiss, then suck and blow against it before he'd nip again, repeating the process. She was certain he was marking his territory.

"W-we have a-an hour now," she whined, still trembling.

"Hush," he said against her reddened skin.

"Severus, please," she begged, inhaling immediately when he plunged deeper inside of her before slowly pulling out of her. "No, don't stop, please, don't stop," she pleaded. He swiftly entered her again, only to pull out a moment later at an excruciating slow pace. "Please," she begged, whispering into his ear.

Her back arched up off the bed as he plunged inside her, slowly pulled back, and plunged in again. He repeated this for what seemed to be a lifetime to her, but really only five minutes. It was still at his controlled pace, quick, slow, and back to quick. She met him with every thrust, hoping he'd quicken the pace at some point.

"Please, Severus," she said once more, crying out a moment later when he plunged deep inside her, bringing her hips fully off the bed this time. He then withdrew only a bit before thrusting further into her. He quickened their pace, soon slamming against her with soft grunts. Her moans filled the room as he continued. Her arms wrapped around his neck, urging him on. She then felt him twitch slightly within her before his seed spurt out, coating her insides with his seed. She softly cried in sheer ecstasy with him as they climaxed together.

As they both came back down, she watched him open his mouth to speak, but his panting made that rather hard. She then felt him soften inside her, withdrawing a moment later and laying down beside her. His arm gently snaked underneath her neck as he motioned for her to lay her head on his chest.

Bells ringing nearby caused her to glance into his eyes. She waited, listening to the bells as they rang out the time. When the twelfth bell rang, she gasped, staring at him horrified. No, no, it should have been eleven, not twelve rings. She then buried her head deep into his bare chest in hopes that he'd protect her from what was coming. He held her, just as she knew he would, but sighed softly.

"Everything's going to be fine," he softly whispered, lazily drawing circles onto her bare back. His frown no doubt deepened when she didn't response. "Let's just go to sleep in one another's arms then, Aurora. You can show me that lingerie of yours tomorrow," he said, likely to lighten the mood.

She forced a laugh, feeling herself tremble against him. She was thirty-five now. The bells had told her that. Any moment now she'd become a monster. She cried against him, wishing all of this nonsense about her mother was a lie. She didn't want to lose him, not now, not when she finally had him in her arms. She listened to his soft voice as he tried to soothe her into sleeping, doing her best to stay awake. Unfortunately, his attempt worked. She quickly fell asleep, listening to the sound of his heart beating against her ear.

~Family~

An indiscernible whooshing sound woke her up. She groaned softly, slowly opening her eyes to the predawn. Severus lay across from her with his eyes closed, wearing a black shirt. Her eyes then narrowed. He shouldn't have been wearing a shirt. She silently sat up, gently resting a hand against his face. He grimaced in response, but didn't wake. She grabbed his hand that had been near her mouth, holding it and wondering what had happened. Her eyes then caught the angry red puncture wounds to his wrist, which caused her to drop his arm immediately and turn around to leave, just as she had promised Eileen she would. A hand, however, snatched her wrist, pulling her back onto the bed.

"Where are you going?" he quietly asked, slowly opening his eyes.

"I—"

"You didn't hurt me," he interrupted, staring at her.

"I did that to you," she argued, motioning with her eyes to his wrist. She then watched him sit up and grab his switchblade from the nightstand. "What are you doing?" she asked, staring at him in horror as he opened the blade.

"You need to trust yourself with me," he simply replied.

"Severus, please don't," she pleaded, placing a hand on his arm. She quickly closed her eyes and turned away when he pressed the blade against the two marks.

"It's not deep," he said, gaining her attention. He held his wrist up, as not to bleed on the sheets.

"You're an idiot."

"No."

"I can kill you now."

"You won't." He then sighed when she shook her head fiercely. "You've trusted me the majority of the years we've know each other. I am asking you to trust me again."

"I-I'll hurt you."

"You won't, Aurora." He gently smeared a drop of crimson onto his finger. He moved at a slow enough pace that if she had wanted to jerk away from him, she was able to. His blood smeared finger hovered a moment in front of her, seemingly waiting for her to move back if she wanted to. When she didn't, he gently pressed his finger against her lips. "Trust me."

She stared at him, wanting to pull back but not doing so. Her eyes closed as she felt his finger against her lips. She could smell the blood just under her nose, causing her to tremble in fear. She didn't want to become a monster. And that was what she'd be if she trusted him.

"Aurora, please. Trust me."

Timidly, she parted her lips, ignoring the trembling as she did. Her tongue darted out, tasting the sticky substance. She pulled back from him, grateful when he didn't push the subject when she did.

"Well?" he asked, dropping his hand with the bloody finger to his side.

"It, um, it tastes like honeysuckle," she answered, staring at him. "I-I don't, um, well, the usual metallic taste is gone." She watched him nod slowly.

"Do you have the urge to kill me, though, to get more?"

"No." She then exhaled loudly, glancing away. "Please don't do that again." When the blood smell disappeared a few seconds later, she looked back at him, noticing that he had healed his cut.

"You're still in control, Aurora. You just proved that." He kissed her cheek then before getting out of bed. "I'll go make us breakfast."

"Can I eat blood-free food anymore?" she asked, scoffing.

"Your mother does," he pointed out, glancing at her.

"Yeah, but most don't."

"Well, from what your father informed me before our wedding, your grandmother was cursed with vampirism. The majority, however, aren't. They're turned and sired by a vampire."

"Yay for Grandmum," she mumbled, shaking her head. "This all sounds so stupid."

"Aura, look at me." He waited until she did. "Your mother is a vampire, and mine returned from the Veil so to speak. Sharing that commonality with your mother is, therefore, not stupid to me, nor is it foolish. It is just the way it is. We will just have to learn to accept this."

"In other words, I have to accept the fact that I'm going to bite you when we're intimate." Her eyes then narrowed when he snorted with a soft smile. "What's so funny?"

"If I were you, Aurora, I would take a good hard look at myself in the mirror." He whirled around then, briskly walking out of the room.

She remained staring at the empty doorframe for a few minutes before tossing the sheets off and slowly climbing out of bed. She grabbed the thin silk green dressing gown from the chair beside her, quickly putting it on and tying it closed. What in the world was he talking about when he said that she should look at herself in the mirror? She silently walked towards the door off to the side of the room, catching the full length mirror on the wall a moment later. She stood in front of it then, noticing that her reflection didn't appear to be any different. When she caught her husband's reflection as he walked up behind her, she frowned.

"What are you talking about, Severus?" Her brows furrowed as he silently reached around her, gently pushing the top of her dressing gown down to expose her chest. Her eyes then widened at the slightly faded marks against her skin. Without a doubt, she knew that was a result of his nipping. When he gently pushed aside her dark curls that covered her neck, she gasped as he uncovered more.

"As you can see, Aurora, you're not the only one with, well, love bites this morning," he whispered beside her ear.

"This was from last night?" she asked, glancing in the mirror at him.

"No, night before last," he replied, wrapping his arms around her lovingly. "You've been asleep nearly thirty hours." He then frowned deeply. "Our youngest informed me before the wedding not to be unnerved when I'd attempt to wake you yesterday. I'll admit, though. Finding neither a pulse nor hearing a breath from you unnerved me greatly." He released a loud exhale. "I imagine all of what I found, though, was so your body could adjust to the changes without stressing it too much. In fact, now that you're awake, I'd imagine your different systems will slowly start working again."

"Ah," she said, nodding slowly. That'd explain why she wasn't rushing to the toilet.

"Our daughter also informed me that I should be expecting a correspondence sometime this evening. However, she did not know what the importance of it was."

"Our daughter, the Seer," she said with a soft laugh. "So, how'd you find this place?"

"Your father actually," he answered. "It's his wedding gift to us."

"This cottage is our wedding gift?"

"No, this _island_ is our wedding gift." He sighed. "Come with me after you've finished. I want to show you something." He then removed his arms from her waist. Turning around, he silently walked out, closing the door behind him.

A few minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom, heading towards the sitting area. When she reached him, she glanced at a grandfather clock in the corner that he pointed at it.

At first it looked like any other grandfather clock. It stood six feet tall encased in stained cherry housing with snakes carved into its wood. Exposed by a glass door that had frosted edges, the silver pendulum swung back and forth, ensuring that the most accurate time possible was displayed above. However, upon further inspection, she noticed the engraved Latin that encircled the silver clock face, along with the runes.

"It's not a Time Turner," he said in response to her confused look. "However, according to your father, it does actually remove us from the normal string of time. It'll feel like we'll have been here for months if we want it to, but when we return, no matter when we do, it'll have only been a night."

"How'd my father learn about this?"

"I am under the impression that your mother found it when she traveled the world and later brought your father here after they married. However, according to your father, the house they had been in was destroyed by a tempest that hit the island."

"They rebuilt it?" For some reason, she couldn't see her father building anything. Granted, her father did loads of things by hand, but she couldn't see him as a carpenter, though. Taking care of horses she could see, but not building a house.

"Your father sent a few of his house elves out here to finish the work while we completed the rituals," he explained.

"Owls can reach us, though?"

"From the way I understand it, the house elves will deliver anything we receive by post."

She nodded, leaning against him. She could get used to owl-free days. They were rare at Hogwarts. She then sighed, walking away from the grandfather clock to the cast-iron gas stove where their eggs and bacon were cooking.

"That smells heavenly, Severus," she said, inhaling the rich aromas of their breakfast.

"Glad to know that being a Potions Master all these years hasn't diminished my ability to cook," he joked, walking towards her before inspecting the self-cooking breakfast. He then held a hand out, summoning a shaker of fine black pepper and shaking it gently over the eggs.

"Pepper?" she said, laughing.

"Yes," he replied. "It gives the eggs more flavor. Now, just hush and sit." He pointed towards the small table made for two. "I'll bring it to you when I'm finished."

She sighed, but did as he asked. Sitting at the table, she watched him as he flipped the eggs and later the bacon expertly. Their breakfast smelled even better now, if that was even possible. When she caught the plates levitated beside him a moment later, she sat up straighter and waited for him to return.

"For you," he said, gently setting the steaming plate in front of her.

Her eyes narrowed on the smiley face plate of food. She then glanced up at him, wondering who the hell this man was and where the hell her husband was. She caught his soft chuckle immediately as he sat down across from her with his own plate.

"I suppose you could say that your father and I bonded prior to the wedding."

"Just how cozy did you two get?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Not that cozy," he replied. "Your father only offered some helpful advice. He thought my fixing your eggs this way might put a smile on your face. So I decided to take his advice."

She nodded slowly, picking up a fork. She started to eat in silence, taking quick glances at him every now and then. She had bit him, tasted him. She then softly laughed. Well, not tasted him in the sexual sense, but she had tasted him nonetheless.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Trust me, Severus. You don't want to know." She then caught his soft snort as he took a drink from his glass of grape juice.

"Oh. I see," he said, nodding softly.

"Really, and just what do you see?"

"Your different options of tasting me now," he replied with a quirked smile.

She blushed horribly, turning away from him. She hadn't meant to broadcast her thoughts so openly. She then inhaled slowly, turning back to meet his dark eyes. Well, two could play that game.

"I don't suppose you're up to that, are you?" she asked, daring him to answer.

"Up to—what do the students call it these days 'polishing one's wand?"

She covered her mouth instantly to hold back her laughter. They sounded like two raunchy teenagers. With a wide grin, she cleared her throat, just barely holding back the raucous laughter.

"No, that's something else. I think I was thinking more along the lines of giving it a, well, a spit shine." She caught his slight widening of his eyes before the rich, velvety chuckles poured out of him. She laughed with him, grabbing his hand instantly when he laid it across the table.

Their moment came to a screeching halt when a letter suddenly popped in and landed on the table. He sighed softly, grabbing it with his free hand. He, however, had to release her a moment later in order to open the envelope. His eyes moved quickly across the letter, skimming it, before he placed it back on the table and slid it towards her.

"Who's it from?" she asked, picking it up.

"My mother," he replied with a heavy sigh. "It's addressed to you."

"So I see," she mumbled, reading the letter that was dated yesterday.

_Ms. Aurora Sinistra,_

_No doubt you've woken up this morning beside my son, whether that is with him drained of life or otherwise. You likely are wondering now why I'm writing this letter to you of all people. I am doing so in the hopes that my fears are unfounded and that my son was not lying dead beside you this morning._

_As I informed you yesterday prior to you tying your life to him, I do not wish to lose my son to you as I lost his father to your mother. I am not blind, though, nor am I deaf. I saw yesterday the love my son has for you. So, therefore, if you have not killed him, I shall work on my distrust of you in the spirit of keeping the peace so to speak._

_You appear to be true to your words and are unlike your mother. This I saw yesterday also. Your hesitation during the exchanging of the vows, which I admit I wrote off as acting when I first saw it, was something that I believe I needed to see from you. However, do not take my words as my accepting you fully the moment you return from wherever my son has whisked you off to. No one can do that. But as I said, I shall work on my distrust, and hopefully in the next decade or two I will be able to call you my daughter-in-law._

_Finally, I wish to extend the privilege of you taking the Prince surname. Since my son has taken that potion to purify his blood so to speak, he is also eligible to take it. While it shall be disconcerting to say the least for me, knowing that you share my last name, it is a tradition in my family that I shall not impede. However, I do wish to enlighten you to the fact that since my return I have become sole owner of Prince Manor again, not Severus. Therefore, you will not live the pampered life you once did while I was in the service of Lady Atal._

_I shall therefore leave the house on Spinner's End in Severus's name. Granted, my son likely will demolish it at the first chance, but I doubt you'll be homeless. Perhaps he can build it up from the ruins and make a suitable home out of it again. I suppose in closing I should congratulate you, but I fail to know if I mean it in the sense of your marriage to my son or to you not killing him._

_Eileen Prince_

"Well, that was positively charming," Aurora said, setting the letter down. "You know, Severus, I hope one day to achieve your mother's level of sarcasm." She laughed when he snorted into his glass. "So, tell me. Is your good mood because of our wedding night? Because I've never seen you in this good of a mood before," she said, staring at him.

"It might be a result of our wedding night," he agreed with a smile. "However, I've felt, well, more emotional one could say since we completed the Ritual of Binding. Your father believes that to be the result of it cleansing my soul so to speak." He then glanced off with a faraway look before looking at her again. "I can barely remember the bad. When I think on my childhood now, I remember meeting Lily that day in the park, not Tobias. I remember the times we were together in the common room rather than the times I was at a meeting with the monster. When I attempt to recall the bad, I only see the good in my life, the good I was too blind to see before."

"You see Lily?" she asked quietly. She smiled softly when he nodded. "Does she still make your heart leap into your throat, Severus?" she asked curiously.

"She does," he answered truthfully. "However, what I feel for her pales in comparison to what I feel for you. She was my first love, my first obsession one could say, though. One never gets over his first."

"I don't suppose one does," she said with a smile, understanding his meaning. He was her first, and she knew that had fate been kinder and he'd been with Lily, that she'd feel the same pain, the same love, that he still felt for Lily, his first.

"Well, shall we have a bit of a lie-in this morning, seeing as how we're both in our sleepwear?" He chuckled when she rolled her eyes and laughed. "Then again, you could perhaps show me that lingerie of yours that you've been hiding from me."

"My, oh my, I do believe Severus Snape is a bit of a dirty old man," she drawled, feigning a look of scandal on her face.

"Prince," he corrected. "My mother gave us her approval for the use, Aurora."

"You are not Tobias, Severus," she quietly reminded in response to his correction.

"And you're not Syra, Aurora," he retorted, rising slowly and motioning for her to do the same. "Now, lie-in or lingerie?" he asked, walking around the table with his arm bent towards her.

"Well, I suppose since you treated me so well, it's only fair that I do so for you this morning."

"Lingerie it is," he said with a positively gleeful look, leading her towards the bedroom.

"Who would have guessed that Severus Prince liked lingerie?" she teased, laughing when he lightly smacked her arm. "Is this truly going to be our honeymoon, Severus?" she asked semi-seriously. "Months of shagging, I mean?" she clarified with a smile.

"Only the first twelve months," he deadpanned, glancing at her. His eyes shone with pure happiness before his rich, velvety chuckles filled the room again. He then sobered up, sighing contently. "If there's something else you'd rather be doing, I'm open for suggestions, Aurora. After all, this time is about experiencing things together as couple, becoming unified as one so to speak."

"Then let's let the lingerie surprise wait until your birthday," she said with a smile. "You and I have things more important to do, other places to be."

"Do we?" he asked softly with a look of wonder in his eyes.

"Yes," she answered before kissing his cheek. "I'm correct to assume there are fresh clothes here?" He nodded. "Good, well, let's get dressed in our finest clothes then. We have places to be."

Five minutes later, Aurora emerged from the bathroom, wearing a dark blue pullover and black slacks. She flashed a soft smile at her husband as he stood patiently waiting by the door for her, holding out the Prince family heirloom. She then silently slipped her arms back into the velvety emerald robes, beaming as she stared at the intricate design in the silver embroidered collar and cuffs.

"I'm glad to see you still enjoy wearing them," he said softly, glancing at her with a faint smile.

"Of course I do, Severus," she replied, resting a hand against his black jumper. "It has a bit of your magic embedded in it, surrounding me with your warmth."

"Must you always romanticize things around me, Aurora?" he quipped, still smiling.

"You knew I was a hopeless romantic when you married me, Severus," she reminded.

"Then I shall find a way to endeavor, I suppose." He then gave a short laugh, placing an arm around her waist. "Shall we depart then?" He kissed her cheek softly when she nodded.

With a soft pop from disapparating, they appeared a moment later in Godric's Hollow. They walked across the fresh white powder, the snow crunching softly under their boots. They headed to the back of the cemetery towards two white marble tombstones shone majestically in the predawn light.

"You've been here before," he remarked quietly beside her.

"I came here a week after the tombstones were erected," she replied softly. "I suppose I felt guilty for all those years we were in Hogwarts, where I wished ill to come to her and James."

"And now?" he asked.

She didn't respond. Instead, she stepped out of his sideways hug and knelt in the snow in front of Lily's grave. She could feel his eyes watching her every move, which was somewhat calming she'd admit. She then placed her hand across Lily's name and bowed her head, closing her eyes as she thought her words she wanted to say to the deceased witch. The snow swirled around her then before the church bells off in the distance rang hauntingly. She smiled softly in response, rising a moment later.

"You're not going to say anything to her, Severus?" she asked, noticing that he had not moved any closer to the grave.

"All the things I would have to say, she already knows," he replied softly.

She nodded, slowly pulling her wand out from her inner pocket. She pointed her wand then at the ground just before the tombstone, sending a spark of purple at the snow. Taking a step back, she watched her snowdrop flowers she had conjured sprout up through the snow before blooming.

"We should bring Harry here someday," she said quietly, staring at the flowers. "He likely hasn't been here before." She then smiled as her husband's arm wrapped around her waist. "We have one more place to visit," she stated. "And then we can go home and be with our children."

"After you," he replied, leaning his head softly against hers.

Once more the soft pop of disapparation came before they appeared in a familiar clearing in a wooded area. She tensed at the sight of the tombstone in front of her, only relaxing when Severus whispered something soothingly beside her. She nodded jerkily in response, taking a step forward.

She hadn't visited this particular grave since the day the child was buried. But seeing the grave during the ritual, knowing what she knew now, she knew that they both needed this . . . closure in their lives. After all, she had known all along that this child was hers. Her husband, however, had just learned a few days earlier about the child that likely was his.

"Do you wish me to alter it again?" he asked barely above a whisper.

She jerked her head no, blinking back the tears. She then placed a hand across their unborn daughter's name, focusing her magic on the engraving. When a hand rested atop of hers a moment later, she glanced up, feeling his magic flow through her to the marble. They removed their hands afterwards, staring at the words 'Aria Sinistra-Prince.' She then laughed while silently crying when he placed a conjured glass-enclosed Slytherin teddy bear in front of their unborn daughter's grave.

"Let's go home, Aurora," he whispered, gently kissing her cheek. Their hands then entwined with their silver wedding rings glowing softly in the predawn light. With a soft pop, they vanished, just as a lone phoenix trilled softly from a branch up above, where it had stared down and watched.

**A/N: **Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. If you're an Eileen fan and want to read some more with her, she does show up in some of my other active stories like _Sword of Slytherin_ and one of my new stories that I won't post until I'm finished with it.


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